Deceiving Bonds
by Shihori
Summary: Hatori x OC x Shigure......No, it's not a threesome. Just a triangle. Read on to find out. :)
1. Chapter 01

**_****DISCLAMER: I don't own Fruit Basket nor any of its characters. Sara Fujima and other characters not original from furuba, are obviously mine. _**

**_ This fic centers mostly around Hatori, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji, -exactly in that level of importance. The rest of the Sohma and Tohru make small appearances. If you feel it is rushed all I can say to that is "Sorry. I'm busy with university classes, so I try to keep my fics as short as possible." If there are any mistakes with the names, I was typing too fast. Mistakes with the nicknames: they are so many that I sometimes get confused. Anyways…I hope you like the story. Thank you for reading and please review. I'd like to know your opinions whether they are constructive or destructive. In other words, flames are accepted, so fire away. _**

****

**_Shihori._**

~*~*~*~ 

Hatori inhaled deeply the fresh, salty air, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It had been long since the last time he came to the Sohma's beach house. He walked barefoot on the pearl white sands, holding a pair of sandals on one hand, and a bag on the other. It was early so the sun hadn't heated up the sand yet. –_Shigure might be right. The ocean breeze might do us all well_. - He thought as he neared the shore where the foamed waves ended. 

He dropped the bag on the sand and sat down, slipping the white, unbuttoned shirt off his shoulders setting it next to the bag. Then he took out a snorkel, a mask, and a pair of rubber shoes along with a white towel. It had been a while since he last snorkeled and had been looking forward to doing it without any bothersome company, a.k.a. Shigure and Ayame. 

-_I'm so glad I was able to sneak away from the house without those two noticing. _Looking up, his green eyes set upon the aquamarine waters and that's when he saw her for first time, -a woman rose out of the water pulling off the snorkel and mask off her head as she walked back to the shore. She wore a strapless one piece, electric blue swimsuit, black rubber shoes, and her long dark hair was plastered to her chest over her right shoulder. –_Who is she?_ He wondered not taking his eyes away from the woman who obviously had noticed his presence and was walking towards him now. –_And why is she here? Doesn't she know this is private property?_

"Good morning." She said as she smiled brightly at him. "I haven't seen you around before so you might not know." She untied the ponytail over her shoulder. "This is a private beach. The caretaker is very moody and shoots any stranger he finds along the beach." She giggled and walked past him. "If you appreciate your life at all you should leave." 

Hatori blinked, not knowing what to answer to her words for a second. He turned around planning to tell the stranger that she was the one invading private property but his eyes fell upon her curved, long, and tanned legs, making his train of thought go off the rails. Immediately he turned his face away, a light blush creeping on his cheeks. He sighed, feeling his face slightly hotter than before. Then he decided to put on the rubber shoes, taking the mask and snorkel as he stood up and walked towards the water. –_Good thing Shigure and Ayame aren't here; otherwise I wouldn't hear the end of it._ He thought as he walked father away from the shore in the chest high waters. 

Deceiving Bonds: Chapter 1 

"Mou…you're so mean Tori-san!" Ayame whined while Hatori kept his eyes set on the book in front of him. "How could you leave us behind? You know Gure-san and I like snorkeling too! We could have had so much fun together!" 

"We could have searched for lovely mermaids like in old times!" Shigure said in a dream like tone. 

"Why would you search for ocean princesses if you have me Gure-san!" Ayame said in a feigned hurt tone. 

"Don't start you two idiots!" Kyou growled from the balcony where he was sitting at the wood floor. "It's too early for you to turn my stomach upside down!" 

"What could be taking them so long?" Yuki asked, looking up the stairs that led to the bedrooms. 

"I'm starving!" Hiro cried out, jumping off the balcony's railing. "I'll go get them." He announced as he stomped towards the stairs, but Haru grabbed him by the neck of his shirt holding him back. 

"Women are women." He muttered, showing no expression on his face. "They'll come down when they're ready." 

"If it wouldn't have been for that damn Akito, we would have arrived early yesterday afternoon instead of the middle of the night." Kyou grumbled from his corner. 

"We're ready!" Kagura announced as she climbed down the stairs followed by Kisa, Momiji, and Tohru. 

"Sorry we took so long." Tohru apologized in behalf of all of them. "Are you sure you don't want me to cook? I truly don't mind." 

"We're on vacations Honda-san." Yuki said smiling down at her. "You don't have to do any of those chores here." 

"Yes Tohru-kun! We are all here to relax from our daily routines." Shigure floated to her side and placed his hands on her shoulders which were practically bare except for the thin straps of her pink dress, pretending to give them a massage, ignoring Yuki's and Kyou's glares. "So you must relax as well." 

Hatori closed the book on his hands, setting it on the coffee table along with his reading glasses. "Besides, there is no food in this house. We didn't tell Fujima-san we were coming so he didn't prepare the place for us." 

"Fujima-san?" Tohru muttered, looking at Hatori. 

"The state's caretaker." Shigure answered with a broad smile on his lips. "You'll meet him soon enough." 

"It's a good thing he keeps the house clean though. Otherwise we wouldn't have had a place to sleep at since the hotels here don't admit late customers." Ayame commented flipping his ponytail over his shoulder. 

"Well enough chit-chat! Let's get breakfast! I'm famished!" Hiro whined reminding everyone else of why they were gathered in the living room. 

Agreeing silently with the family's sheep they all walked out of the house and got into the mini-bus they had brought since the group was fairly large. It was almost mid-day when they finally reached a restaurant and had lunch instead of breakfast. The rest of the afternoon they walked around the town sightseeing since the younger members of the Jyunishi and Tohru hadn't been to this place before. They also bought groceries for the next two weeks they would be spending their summer vacation from school. 

° 

She pushed the metal bar door closed, and turned to walk up the small paved hill. The sun was already setting, and the skies were tinted in purple, red and orange colors. –_I must hurry up. They'll get here anytime._ She thought taking a look at her watch, which read 6:40 p.m. in digital numbers. She reached a modest, wood house with a small, rose garden. Bringing the keys out of her skirt's pocket, she opened the front door and looked around. "Grandpa! I'm home!" She announced, leaving her black backpack on the small bureau close to the door. 

Slipping off her black moccasins, she walked into the first room to her right. It was small and there was only a square, rosewood table in the center, and a pair of cushions set in opposite sides of the table. There was a scroll hanging from a wall with a phrase written in Japanese characters, and under it a long thing vase with a single rose sat over a small, wood stand. –_The kitchen._ She stepped back into the narrow hallway and entered the kitchen, which was smaller than the previous room. She sighed. –_I guess he's at the main house then._

She went back on her steps, taking the keys from the doorknob and locking the door behind her before walking up the rest of the paved road. Soon the main house came into view, a two stories brick and wood western style house. She walked around it instead of walking through the main door, and went in through the back door, which led into the laundry room. Quickly she made her way through the white and black tiled kitchen, and ran up the short steps that led to the main floor. 

"Are you here?" She asked as she cornered the last step and came to the living room's door. A squeak like sound escaped her lips as soon as she saw that there were three other men in the living room along with an old man, her grandfather. "I'm sorry." She quickly apologized and turned around, starting her way back already. –_God…_

"Come back in here child." Fujima called out from the room. 

She sighed heavily and walked back inside. Bowing immediately she said, "I'm truly sorry. I didn't know the owners were home." Her eyes fell upon one of the younger men in the room as she straightened back, recognizing him immediately. A deep blush took over her face and again she bowed, knowing his eyes were on her. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you were a Sohma. I'm sorry I mistook you for an intruder!" 

"Ah?" Shigure blinked and looked back at Hatori who had been standing at the French doors that led to the balcony. A foolish grin took over his lips. "So that is why you didn't take us with you! You wanted to have a love-love escapade with the lady here!" 

Her jaw dropped and she began waving her hands frantically in front of her. "It's not like that!" She exclaimed, still blushing furiously. "I thought he was an intruder and told him to leave before my grandpa found him." 

"Grandpa." Ayame repeated her words and looked at her as a huge smile plastered on his face. "Sara-chan!" He squeaked and jumped towards her, but Hatori stopped him by grabbing the collar of his shirt. Since the weather is so hot there, Ayame had been forced to wear shorts and a shirt like a normal man, and to keep his long, silver hair in a ponytail. 

"Can't believe how much you've grown up!" Shigure said checking her out in her work clothes, a grin on his face. 

Sara noticed the way he was looking at her, all too common to her, but still made her uncomfortable. She was wearing a thin, white blouse that had a K in orange thread embroidered over her right breast, an orange mini skirt with a sewn on apron, and a headband of the same color on her head keeping her loose hair away from her face. "Ah…I'll leave immediately so I won't be a bother to you." She muttered wrapping her arms around her waist as if to protect herself from Shigure's approving look. 

"Eh? No! Why?" was Shigure's quick response followed by a disappointed look. 

Sara looked down to her grandpa who was shorter in height than her. "Grandpa always sends me away when anyone of the Sohma family arrives unless they require my services." 

She looked back at the three of them, and couldn't keep from thinking that they were all very handsome, including the one with long hair and delicate looking face features. "I won't leave if you do require my services." 

"Of course we do!" Shigure beamed at her. "I know of a pair of things you could help me with!" 

"I meant house chores." Sara pointed out, guessing what he meant. –_Perv…._

Shigure laughed half-heartedly. "I meant so too!" 

Hatori sighed and decided to take control of the situation. "We really don't need anything of help with the house chores, but you don't need to leave the state. You may stay." 

"But Ha-san…" Shigure whined, ignoring Hatori's glare. 

"Ah…alright." Sara nodded, looking somewhat disappointed. "But anything you need, just ask me. Grandpa hasn't been feeling all too well in the last months so I try to help him as much as I can." 

"Sara that really won't be necessary." Fujima seemed displeased with that comment, but decided to talk it later with her. "Aren't you working tonight?" 

"I'm late!" She cried out looking at her watch. "I'll make you dinner before leaving so don't worry! They can wait." 

"I'll cook. You just hurry and get ready, and don't come back too late." Fujima smiled at her. "And have fun." 

"Always do." Sara leaned over and kissed his forehead. She turned to the mabudachi trio and bowed lightly. "Thank you again for letting me stay. Have a good night." Not expecting a reply she hurried out of the living room. 

"Are you sure about letting her stay Hatori-san?" Fujima looked at him seriously. 

"Akito didn't come with us this time, so there is no need for her to leave." Hatori answered nonchalantly as he sat down on the couch, taking his book and eyeglasses from the table. 

"How come other has required her house keeping services?" Ayame asked, looking strangely serious as he talked to the old man. 

"Members of the family who don't know her or don't remember her see her only as my granddaughter, in other words, a maid." Fujima pointed out in a somewhat disgusted tone, but then sighed. "Sara is a kind girl and she'd do anything to help me out." 

"She's grown to become a very fine woman." Shigure smiled warmly, no pervert tone implied on his words. "I'm glad." 

"Why don't you stay over and have dinner with us Fujima-san?" Ayame offered, "We're ordering take out since our precious bride is out with my cute brother and the others." 

"There are more than you three." Fujima said, not quite asking or stating. 

"Yes." Shigure nodded as he took a seat on a wicker chair. "All of them Jyunishi except for Tohru-kun who is the most recent addition to the family." 

"So, which restaurant would you recommend Fujima-san?" Ayame asked, taking the cordless phone from its base. 

"The K." Fujima answered, "The number is in the phone booklet next to the phone. There are other restaurant phones there and of some 24hrs stores and pharmacies." He turned around and began walking out. "Thank you for the offer, but I prefer to eat alone. The car key's are in the left drawer to the sink in the kitchen. If you need anything, use the intercom. I'll come immediately. Good night." 

"Wait Fujima-san!" Shigure ran up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I insist you stay with us for dinner. That way you could tell us more about Sara-chan." 

Fujima looked up to him, with a hard look on his brown eyes surrounded by wrinkles. "If you wish to know more about her, I suggest you talk to her Sohma-san." He looked away and climbed down the stairs. "Good night." 

Shigure's features turned serious as he stared at the old man's back until he disappeared. 

"Are you regretting coming here Shigure?" Hatori asked, looking at his cousin at the door, still holding the book in front of him. 

Shigure turned his face to him and smiled brightly. "Not at all." 

"She seems to be happy." Ayame commented with a smile, still holding the phone on his hands but he had sat down on the polished wood floor. "Isn't that a relief Tori-san?" 

Hatori didn't answer and just turned his eyes back to the book, staring at the letters but not reading them. 

° 

"I have the feeling you're upset with me." Sara said as she stepped into the living-dining room. 

Fujima took a sip of his tea and then spoke, "I've told you many times not to mention to the masters my illness. I could get fired and at my age it is impossible to find a job." 

"At your age, you've saved up enough money to buy your own little house in the town near the sea and stop working grandpa." Sara muttered as she put around her neck a black silk choker with a Celt like cross pendant. She sighed at the nasty look the old man gave her. "I mean it in the good way Grandpa. You've served them well all your life. You should take care of yourself now. Your heart isn't as strong as it used to be." 

"I know that better than anyone child, but the day I stop, it shall be forever." He said stubbornly and took another bite of his grilled fish. 

Sara sighed, kneeling next to him and kissing his forehead. "As you wish old man." She stood up. "Just remember you're all the family I have, and I still need you." 

Fujima stared at her back as she walked out of the living room and smiled tenderly. "You're my dearest child." He whispered, before continuing his meal. The phone began ringing and he made aside his chopsticks to go pick it up. 

"I'll get it!" Sara announced as she ran back and grabbed the phone from the bureau in front of the living room's entrance. "Sohma state." She said answering the call. "Ah! Hisashi-kun. Yes, please wait a moment. ---Oh! They're there? Please tell them to wait a minute or two. Thank you." She pressed a button, then the number 1, and waited to be answered. "Yes, Sohma-san," She addressed the person who answered as Sohma-san since she didn't know her names much less recognized their voices. "Your take-out order is here. –Ah…you're welcome." She hung up and ran back the way she had come. Soon she appeared with a small black leather backpack. "Remember to take your pills." She said leaning on the door's frame. "Don't stay up late." 

"Go now. It's getting late." Fujima answered without looking back at her. 

"Good night grandpa." Sara said with a smile, and went to the entrance. She sat on the floor, slipping her right foot into the knee high black boot, and then the left. Jumping on her feet she grabbed her keys from the bureau and exited her home. She had changed her waitress uniform for a denim skirt, about three fingers above her knees in length, and with low waste which left her belly button exposed, and a white, down shoulder, blouse with blue flower embroidery and an A cut over her belly. Her hair was pulled up in a bun held by two chopstick pins with dangling white pearls at the end. 

"Good evening Fujima-sensei!" The young deliveryman greeted her with a wide smile at the door. "You're singing today?" 

"Yes." Sara smiled at him and then noticed the K on his uniform. "Congrats on getting the job." 

"Thank you miss, but it is a pity I have to work night shift! I wanted to go to the live house and watch you perform tonight!" He said in a disappointed tone. 

"The summer has just started. I'm sure you'll be able to go one of these days." Sara smiled brightly at him. "But don't forget your other responsibilities. There is a lot of school work to do." 

"Sara! Hurry up! We're going to be late!" called out a man from a mini-van parked not far from the gate. 

She signaled him to wait a just another second. "Can't leave until someone comes for that food." She said to the delivery kid with a smile. 

"Then you may leave Fujima-san." He said looking behind her. "There she comes." 

Sara looked back and saw Ayame walking down, now wearing a white Chinese-styled robe since the temperature had gone down. She chuckled, "I fear that's a he Hisashi-kun." She opened the smaller gate and walked out. "See you soon." She smiled and jogged towards the mini-van. 

"Ah! Hello! Sorry I took so long!" Ayame exclaimed as he neared the gate. His eyes diverted to the mini-van as Sara pulled the sliding door closed, and then driver pulled back into the road. "Where is she going?" He wondered out loud. 

"To the Mermaid live house." Hisashi answered, startling Ayame who just laughed, noticing he had spoken his thoughts out loud. "Here's the bill." The kid handed him a piece of paper and proceeded to take out the bags from the motorcycle's carry-box. 

"Here you go." Ayame said as he handed him the money. "Keep the change." He said as he grabbed the two, long bags. He turned around, but then came up with an idea. "Ne…kid, that live house…it is were bands play right?" 

"Yes." Hisashi nodded as he sat down on the motorcycle grabbing the helmet. "Fujima-sensei sings there." He sighed dreamily. "She has the most beautiful voice." 

Ayame grinned knowing he'd have something to do tonight after all instead of following Yuki around. "Thank you!" He chirped and literally hopped back to the house. 

Back in the house, he set the bags on the dining table and called out, "The food is here! Everyone come down!" 

Soon the whole group was sitting around the table, eating dinner. Kyou and Yuki got into an argument once again, and Tohru tried to settle them down, once again. Kagura went into her scary mood, making Kyou stop arguing. Momiji made a comment about Kyou, which angered him and hit the rabbit on the head, making him cry. It was a pretty normal family dinner, except for one thing: Ayame and Shigure were sharing little giggles and speaking in a secretive tone. Hatori could tell that those two were planning something, but he truly didn't mind while it didn't get him involved. 

"That was good!" Shigure exclaimed as he placed his chopsticks aside having finished his meal. "Well let's go Aya! I'll drive!" 

"Where are you going?" Yuki asked, having his curiosity piqued by Shigure's sudden announcement. 

"Do you even know how to drive?" Kyou pointed out. 

Shigure grinned and nodded. "Of course I do!" He stood up and tapped Hatori's head, making him stop his hand on the way of grabbing his cup of tea. "Hurry up Ha-san! Aya and I will be ready in a minute!" With that Shigure and Ayame dashed out of the dining room. 

Everyone looked at Hatori expecting a reaction from him. The Jyunishi's dragon sighed and stood up. "If you go out of the house don't go too far, and don't stay out too late. Kagura you're in charge." He said giving his orders for the night to the younger ones. 

"Yes Hatori-niisan!" Kagura said effusively, looking serious about her responsibility. 

"Where are you going Hatori-niisan?" asked Kisa, the youngest girl in the group. 

Hatori sighed heavily as he walked towards the door. "That's what I'd like to know." 

–_Those idiots always have to come up with something_. 

° 

The Mabudachi trio climbed down the narrow stairs that led to the underground live house. The lights were slightly dim, soft music played, and it wasn't too crowded. There were several small, round tables distributed around the place and each of them had a lit red candle in the middle. At the deepest end of the room there was a stage dimly lit by blue spotlights and to the left corner closer to the entrance was the bar. The place's walls were painted in a medium hue blue evoking the sea, decorated with fishing nets, mermaid figures, and shells. 

"Ah…" Ayame looked around. He was wearing a dark blue robe with Chinese neck and gold buttons "So this is what a live house near the sea looks like. It's very…" 

"Looks like a fisherman's bar of some sort like those in movies." Shigure pointed out, standing next to Ayame. He had changed his kimono for a pair of beige pants and a dark green shirt. 

"What are we doing here?" Hatori asked, looking uninterested at the place. He hadn't changed the black pants and light gray shirt he had worn earlier. 

"We came to relax from babysitting of course!" Shigure chirped as he walked towards an empty table at the middle of the place, although he would have preferred a closer seat to the stage but all the front tables were occupied already. 

"Yes! We need to have time to ourselves away from the kids." Ayame supported his cousin's statement, taking a seat and looking around as if searching for someone. 

Hatori sighed and sat down as well. –_I wonder when my babysitting role will end with these two._ He thought as he set his eyes on the dancing flame of the candle. 

Shigure looked up to the bar and made signals for one of the waitresses there to come. He stopped when the short, brown haired one nodded at him. "We've got to get drunk tonight!" He announced, "Since we don't have that much of an opportunity to hang out the three of us like this back home." 

"Really…we should go out more frequently." Ayame smiled, looking at Hatori. "And we must find also some romance for Ha-san! His life has become too dull with so much work and no fun!" 

"Don't make decisions for me." The Sohma's private doctor glared at his cousin. "I don't need of a relationship." 

"But Ha-san…all men need of some romance! Otherwise, life wouldn't be worth living it." Ayame said with great conviction on his words, and Shigure supported him with effusive nods. 

"Good evening." Sara smiled as she stopped at their table. "I didn't know you knew of this place." 

Hatori looked up to her surprised to see her there, but then everything seemed to fit all to well into his cousin's plans. They knew she'd be here so they came here and dragged him along knowing that if they told him he would refuse. He felt like leaving right then, but there was no case to it now. "You work here?" He asked, no surprise hinted on his words although he was that she'd work in a place like this. 

"Yes." She said with a smile on her lips. "Do you wish anything to drink gentlemen? Any snacks..." 

"Beer please." Hatori answered. 

"A Bloody Mary for me please Sara-chan." Ayame smiled up to her. 

Shigure, who had been smiling foolishly at her, gave her his order. "Beer for me too and some salted peanuts please Sara-chan." 

"Please don't call me so casually Sohma-san." She said in a very polite tone and her smile had become less warm. "Only my friends are allowed to call me that way." She said before turning around, "I'll bring your drinks and snack right away." Then she walked back to the bar. 

"So mean…" Shigure whined after her and sighed half-heartedly. "I don't remember her being so cold." 

"It's just natural." Hatori pointed out as if it was something given already. "To her we are the employers of her grandfather, nothing more, nothing less." 

Shigure looked at her, holding a tray on one arm and placing their drinks on it. "I know." 

Sara returned with their drinks and placed them on the table in front of them along with paper coasters and a small basket with salted peanuts. "If you need anything else, please ask Erika. She's the short, brown haired one at the bar." She said with a smile again, before turning back to the bar. 

"I wonder if she got upset." Ayame muttered, taking a sip of his drink. 

"Wouldn't know." Shigure just shrugged, drinking of his beer. 

A short while later the music was turned off, and the chattering in the live house – bar stopped. Mostly all costumers had their eyes set on the stage where the silhouettes of some persons could be seen. There was a sound of wood hitting wood in a countdown rhythm. 

The electric guitar began playing together with the electric keyboard and the drums, as well as the bass, starting the first song's melody. The lights on the stage brightened up, revealing the five-member band at the stage. At the drums there is a lady, blonde with tanned skin dressed, with her eyes closed, leading the melody. The bass is played by a short, brunette girl, dressed in a long black skirt and orange spaghetti strap top. On the keyboard stood a rather young looking man of short, black hair and stylish appearance. His fingers seemed to caress the keys with the flow of the music. Playing the electric guitar was a tall man, dressed in a simple white t-shirt and black jeans, and his brown hair was pulled back on a ponytail. Finally at the front stood Sara, holding the microphone, still on its base, as the first words of the lyrics flowed smoothly out of her lips. 
    
    "Just one thing doesn't change, that dream I painted. How did I appear as I am now in my young eyes back then?" She began. Her black tresses had been left free and cascaded on her shoulders, framing her tanned face, and her eyes seemed to glow brighter as the ballad picked up a faster rhythm. "Hey, look up at it, it's such a vast night sky. So that soon…so that you understand you will shine at your best soon. So hurry! Look for the full moon."
    
    
    Hatori watched as she took the microphone off the stand and began dancing at the songs' beat. The glow on her face and the smoothness of her voice seemed to have captivated even him in just a pair of minutes. His annoyance at being brought to that place had suddenly vanished with only watching her with such bright aura around her. A smile tugged on his lips, -her smile having a contagious effect on him.
    

"Let's sing a song! Tonight I want to believe there are never ending burning thoughts. More and more! More and more and more I want to scream this song, this dream will never end." Sara's enthusiasm grew with the audience's response, -the ones at the tables were clapping, playing the beat on the tables with their fingers, or singing along with her. The younger ones and some couples had stood up and gathered closer to the stage. 

"Let's sing a song!" The girl at the bass and the man with the guitar sang along with Sara. "Repeat and repeat." 

Sara extended her left arm towards their audience, holding the microphone with the right hand as she finished the song. "This is the song for u." As the melody ended the audience clapped and she bowed her head lightly. "Thank you everyone! Welcome once again to Mermaid's. Today it is love request night and we'll play your favorite love songs which you've deposited on our fish bowl." She looked at the guitarist who walked up to her bringing a glass fish bowl filled with paper strips. "Let's see who's love confession will be the lucky one tonight." She said into the microphone while putting her hand in the bowl to fetch a strip. 

Bringing one out she read it out loud with a wide smile on her face. "This one is dedicated to Mayuki from Kenta. Dearest by Hamasaki Ayumi." She looked up to a table to the left where this couple was sitting at. She knew them well since they were about the same age and had gone to the same high school as her. 
    
    The keyboardist began playing the melody, the others followed when it was their turn. Then Sara began singing, closing her eyes as she felt moved by the depth of the song's words. "It would be nice if we could put away and throw out everything except what really mattered, but reality is just cruel. In such times, I see you laughing whenever I close my eyes."
    

"I had forgotten how beautiful her voice is." Ayame commented, keeping his sight on the stage, which was surrounded by dancing couples. "Truly an angel's voice. Don't you agree Ha-san?" 

"She does look happy." He said, not answering the snake's question. In this tone there was a hint of relief. 

"Makes you wonder if she would have been able to find happiness even if she wouldn't have stayed here." Ayame muttered, speaking his thoughts out loud. 

"He would have broken her sooner or later." Shigure said, staring seriously at her. "Staying here was the best that could have happened to her. Seeing her like this..." He said more to himself. "Makes you feel less guilty." 

A new song had begun, probably one of Ayame's favorites since he had stood up from his seat and stepped closer to the stage, but far enough of any female who could accidentally bump on to him. Hatori looked at Shigure leaning on the table with his head rested on his hand. "There is no such thing as less guilty." His right hand closed into a tight fist. "What was your purpose of coming here Shigure?" 

Shigure looked back at him with a sly grin on his lips. "To have fun of course." 

"I meant, coming to this beach villa specifically. We could have gone to any other." Hatori's eyes were stern while trying to figure out his cousin's motives. "Why did we have to come to here?" 

"Here, where she lives you mean." Shigure looked back at the stage, smiling at the sight of her dancing around as she sang an upbeat song. "I sincerely believed she would have left this place by now. I like this place and I thought the kids would enjoy it very much." Looking back at Hatori he chuckled at his serious face. "Relax a bit Ha-san and enjoy the few gifts life gives us." 

An hour later the band was off stage and most of the persons were gone. Only the people who had come to get drunk were left. Sara and her friends were gathered around the bar having a drink while chatting and laughing at some silly joke by the bartender. 

"I have to stay and close the bar." The guitar player muttered close to her head as he leaned over her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "The old man was tired and left earlier." 

"The business comes first." Sara smiled up at him and nodded. "It's alright." She looked at the keyboardist who was sitting nearby with his arm over the bassist's shoulders. "Say Rei, Takago, can you give me a ride home?" 

Takago looked down at his girlfriend and raised his left eyebrow. Rei looked back at her apologetically, smiling. "We're heading to Yuzuha's party. Sorry…" 

"Ara…that's the opposite side. Don't worry, I'll walk back home" Sara muttered, slipping off the round bar seat. "Yami-chan, are you staying?" 

The drummer shook her head as she went behind the bar. "No. You'll walk with me?" She asked as she bent over and then brought out Sara's leather bag, and her own backpack. 

"Sure." Sara grabbed her bag, turning to the guitarist. "So I'll see you on Thursday then." 

"I'll be there like always." He smiled at her; leaning over and giving her a light kiss on the lips. "Be careful." 

"I will." She smiled and stepped away from the bar. "See you all next Tuesday." She said as she walked away from the bar waving at them. 

"Good night everyone." Yami waved back at them as she walked next to Sara towards the stairs. 

"Night!" called out the others at the bar. 

Ayame looked after them and then turned at Shigure. "Shouldn't we head out too?" 

"Are you stalking her?" Hatori asked in an annoyed tone. "Really…you two have to get better hobbies." 

Shigure chuckled and nodded affirmatively, earning a bored sigh from Hatori. 

° 

"See you around Sara-chan." Yami waved back at her as she climbed the stairs that led into an apartment building. 

"Good night Yami-chan!" Sara chirped back and continued walking down the sidewalk. She pulled her hair behind her ears, which was being blown playfully by the soft night breeze. There was no one in the streets at those hours and the town seemed very peaceful. 

A black Mercedes pulled closer to the sidewalk and stopped next to her. "Sara-chan!" Ayame chirped out, as he stepped out of the car. 

"Ah! Sohma-san." Sara looked surprised as he pranced closer to her. The front window slid down revealing Hatori at the driver's seat, and Shigure waving at her from the seat next to the doctor. 

"You're going home aren't you?" Ayame asked smiling brightly at her, and grabbed her hand when she nodded. "Then you'll come with us." 

"Wait! I-" She began to make an excuse but he wouldn't let her. 

"No buts!" Ayame said vehemently as he pushed her into the car's back seat. "It's silly that we let you walk all the way home when you can come with us." He slipped in and closed the door, tapping Hatori's shoulder. "We can go now Tori-san!" 

Hatori pulled back into the empty streets without a word, just keeping his eyes on the space in front of him. "Ah…Sohma-san," Sara began, looking at Hatori. "Should you be driving? I mean, you were drinking and-" 

"Don't worry. Only had one beer. I'm fine." He said in a reassuring tone, not looking back at her. 

"Ah…" She leaned back on the beige leather seat, and then noticed the looks of Ayame and Shigure on her, both wearing silly smiles. –_I must be more quick and effusive on my negatives._ She made mental note, getting crept out by their looks. 

"Haven't you thought of becoming a pro-singer or a model Sara-chan?" Ayame asked excitedly with hearts around him. "I simply loved your voice and you are so beautiful that you could become a top model easily!" 

Sara sweat dropped, smiling sheepishly. "No I haven't. I just sing as a hobby and I've never been interested on modeling." 

He grabbed her hands and stared at her with star in his eyes. "Would you be my model?" 

"Eh?" She blinked her almond shaped, gray eyes. 

"You see...I'm a tailor." Ayame explained as he released her hands, going into his sparkles-around-him mode. "I am dedicated to build dreams for otoko no romansu! And your beauty has just inspired me. That is why…" He turned back at her holding her left hand between his, his eyes suddenly seductive. "You must be mine." 

Sara smiled, before giving him her cold response. "Not in this life." That sent Ayame sulking to his corner, muttering about how beautiful it could have been. 

"Eehh….first time I see him give up so easily." Shigure muttered, looking down at Ayame. He was kneeling on his seat looking back at them all the time. He turned is eyes to her and smiled. "So…Fujima-san, isn't it?" He remembered her making it clear that she didn't like strangers being too casual with the way they addressed her. 

"Sara-san is ok." She said as she wrapped her arms around her back. 

"I believe we haven't really introduced ourselves." Shigure muttered, thinking back to earlier that day. "That's Ayame." He said looking at the sulking snake. "Stone face here is Hatori." And pointed at himself. "I'm Shigure." 

"Nice to meet you." She said in a respectful tone. They were still the masters of the state even if they were being so casual around her. –_I know my place_. 

"So tell us Sara-san…" Shigure began, smiling at her all the time. "If you're not a model or anything of the kind, what do you dedicate yourself to?" 

"Why are you interested in knowing?" Sara asked, unconsciously being rude, since she didn't trust people that easily. 

Shigure chuckled, taken by surprise by her response. "Curiosity. You see, seeing you makes me nostalgic. I don't think you remember, but we knew you from before." 

Hatori glared at Shigure but didn't say a word. –_What the hell are you doing Shigure?_

Sara stared at his face intently and then replied. "I don't think we have. Your face doesn't seem familiar to me." 

Shigure hid his disappointment behind a smile. "Well we met long time ago and we didn't get to spend much time together, so it's normal that you don't remember." 

Sara smiled, giving in a bit. "I'm a high school teacher, but during summer I work at K's and in Mermaids'." 

"Teacher…" Shigure looked at her with interest. "What course do you teach?" 

"History." She answered with a smile. "Always loved history." 

-I know. He thought before speaking again. "I'm a writer. A novelist." He then pointed at Hatori. "Ha-san here is a doctor." 

Sara blinked her eyes, staring at the back of Hatori's head. "Oh really?" She smiled. "That's a beautiful profession." 

Hatori was taken by surprise, a small smile tugging on his lips. "So is teaching." He said. 

"It is." Sara nodded, her face brightening. "I like the challenge each student represents, a challenge to make them interested in the knowledge you posses and wish to share. It is very satisfying when the ask about the class and show you their interest in what you're teaching them, but it is even more satisfying to become someone they trust." 

"You must be very loved among your students." Shigure commented, noticing the way her face seemed to glow as she spoke about her profession. "Someone who speaks that way of their job, can only be in love with it." 

"I am." Sara said with a proud tone in her words. "And I'm sure my students love me just like I love them. I mean…who wouldn't love their big sister?" She chuckled. "Sometimes it seems I'm more like a big sister to them than their teacher, but that only makes this job more rewarding." 

The car stopped at the gate, which Hatori opened with the remote control and drove into the state, soon stopping in front of the small house. 

"Thank you for bringing me home." Sara said smiling at them, as she opened her door. "Have a good night." 

"Sara-san." Ayame called out smiling at her using a more formal address now. "Thanks to you for such a fun night. I speak for all three of us." 

"Thanks to you." She smiled brightly at them stepping out of the car, and closing the door before walking around it. She waved back at them as she walked up the stone walk towards the door. 

Hatori drove away once she was safely inside the house. "Again…your purpose was to have some fun?" He asked Shigure as he pulled into the villa's garage. 

"Of course." Shigure insisted with a smile as he stepped out of the front seat. 

"Ne ne…Tori-san!" Ayame hugged Hatori's arm. "It's kind of chilly tonight. Can I sleep on your bed tonight?" 

Hatori threw him a nasty glare. "Not in this life." He said pulling his arm free and walking into the house through the garage door, which led into the kitchen. 

"You're so mean Tori-san!" Ayame whined behind him. "You're my doctor! You should be concerned of my health! I'm such a fragile snake!" He continued to whine as they climbed up the stairs. "I promise not to slither around!" 

"Don't worry Aya-chan!" Shigure chirped behind him. "You may stay in my bedroom." 

"Ah! Gure-san! It has been so long!" Ayame squealed as he wrapped his arms around Shigure's neck. 

Shigure flashed a sexy smile to the silver haired man, and held his hand with his own to his chest. "I promise to be gentle." 

"Ah Gure-san!" Ayame sighed with a dreamy tone. 

Their reverie was interrupted by the sound of a door closing. Hatori had gone into his room without even bidding them goodnight. They grinned at this, letting go of each other immediately. "Night!" Ayame chirped and pranced into his own bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

Shigure walked into his and went directly to the French window after locking the door closed. He leaned on the sill looking out with a serious expression on his countenance. He could see the roof of the small house from there. "Sa-chan…" He whispered, a smile tugging at a corner of his lips. 

**_***Hate it? Like it? Love it? Whichever is your pick, please review. :) -Shihori._**


	2. Chapter 02

**_****DISCLAMER: I don't own Fruit Basket nor any of its characters. Sara Fujima and other characters not original from furuba, are obviously mine. _**

**_ This fic centers mostly around Hatori, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji, -exactly in that level of importance. The rest of the Sohma and Tohru make small appearances. If you feel it is rushed all I can say to that is "Sorry. I'm busy with university classes, so I try to keep my fics as short as possible." If there are any mistakes with the names, I was typing too fast. Mistakes with the nicknames: they are so many that I sometimes get confused. Anyways…I hope you like the story. Thank you for reading and please review. I'd like to know your opinions whether they are constructive or destructive. In other words, flames are accepted, so fire away. _**

****

**_Shihori._**

~*~*~*~*~

Sara walked up to the spot where she had left her bag and towel. She gave a quick look to her waterproof watch: 9:00 a.m. She was wearing a red tank top bikini with yellow flower prints, and didn't have any snorkeling gear with her. She smiled up to Hatori who sat next to her stuff, his hair wet and a towel draped around his shoulders. "There's nothing better than a good swim early in the morning." 

"You do this frequently?" He asked focusing on her face, framed by shorter locks of hair plastered on it to the sides. Reaching out for her towel over the bag, he handed it out to her. 

"Every morning when it's summer." Sara took the blue towel from him, and wrapped it around herself before sitting down next to him but keeping her distance. She gathered her waist long hair and wrung the excess of water from it to a side. "The rest of the year I run on the beach. It's the best way to stay fit and I can never get tired of the scenery." 

"You are lucky to live here." Hatori said, looking into the vast sea in front of them. 

"Yes, but one day I'll leave." Sara said staring the same direction as him. "I'll capture this view in my heart, and I'll leave." 

Hatori looked at her profile. "Why would you want to leave such wonderful place?" 

"Because I belong somewhere else." Sara said softly, with a serious countenance. 

Her words took him by surprise, and pried more, which was unlike to his usual self, but there was something about her, something he had seen last night, that made him want to know more about her. –_Probably Shigure and Ayame feel the same when they met her again_. He thought, trying to reason his cousin's actions. "Belong somewhere else?" 

Sara turned to face him with a bright smile. "Of course. Life is full of wonders, this world even more. I want to know that world." Her head turned back to the wide sea laying in front of them. "That's why, even as scary as it may seem to a town girl like me, I'll spread my wings and fly till I find the place where I belong, where I am meant to stay till the day I die." 

"What makes you think you're not already there?" Hatori asked, curiosity about the younger woman's thoughts filling his mind. 

"I can feel it in my heart." Sara giggled softly, looking at him again with a very light blush on her cheeks. "I sound like some high school brat to you, don't I?" 

Hatori gave her a warm smile and shook his head. "Not at all. I think it is a very encouraging way of thinking." –_People like me have no choice but to stay where we are, even if our hearts say that it is the wrong place to be at. Us, the Jyunishi, don't have that option._ His eyes softened while watching her sun kissed countenance. –_Seeing you like this makes me feel less guilty. I'm glad you are able to dream, dear Sara._

Deceiving Bonds: Chapter 2 

"I'm curious to know what life has in store for me." She chuckled at her own anxiousness. "But if I were able to know it all right now, my life would become very boring." She decided they were talking too much about her and she wanted to know more about him. "Being a doctor, it must be very stressful, am I wrong?" 

"Not at all." Hatori answered, his cool mask returning to his face. 

Sara brought her knees up to her chest and leaned her head on them while hugging her calves. "But it must be wonderful to be able to give others a chance of living. It's like carrying hope in your hands, I think." She said while staring at him. _–He is very handsome, but there is something in his eyes that clouds his heart._ She thought becoming curious of the secrets he could have in his heart. –_I'll probably never find out what is it that holds him back from being happy. _

"I really wouldn't know." Hatori's tone was somewhat somber. "I usually take care of small illnesses, nothing that can't be cured with medicine and proper care, but my main patient, he is someone I will never be able to safe even if I tried my best." 

"Why do you say so?" Sara's face became serious at his words. 

"His illness can't be cured." Hatori spoke the truth but kept the details to himself. "I can only expand his life span as long as his body can resist." 

"That is sad." Sara muttered, feeling compassion for that person. "Does he know?" 

Hatori nodded, "Since very young." 

"It must be truly hard on him and his family." Sara whispered while staring into Hatori's blue eyes. 

"It is. With time he has become more reluctant to live, but it seems that it is not his moment yet to leave." Hatori assented with his head lightly, taking his eyes away from hers. Her eyes were making him nervous, as if they were trying to find a meaning in his eyes that she couldn't find in his words. 

Sara smiled softly, and reached out for his right hand, taking it between hers. He didn't expect that at all and it showed clearly on his face. "Stay strong." She said vehemently. "That person needs you. Even if your greatest efforts can't save him, your caring for him will give him strength to live his life to the fullest. Your efforts to keep him alive won't go unnoticed to him I'm sure. " Suddenly she realized where her outburst had made her do, and released his hand immediately, and smiled sheepishly, hoping she wasn't blushing too much. "Or at least that's what I think." 

-_Some things don't change I guess_. Hatori smiled gently, engraving in his mind the way she looked right then. –_But sadly, not even you would have been able to change him_. 

Sara grew nervous at his stare and decided to avoid it. –_Why am I feeling so warm and fuzzy out of the sudden? I've got Sano-kun._ She wondered as she grabbed her bag and brought out a blue blouse and a short, white skirt. "I should get going." She muttered, standing up letting the towel slip off her body to fall around her ankles. "Today is the only free day I have this week and I really should catch up with the house's cleaning." She slipped her arms through the blouse's armholes, leaving it unbuttoned. Then she wrapped the skirt around her hips, tying the laces at the right side. 

Hatori smiled, "If it is your only day off work why don't you relax and rest instead of working more?" 

"Because I like to do the house cleaning." Sara tied her hair with a rubber band. "Besides, if I don't do it no one will." She grabbed her bag off the sand, and slipped her feet into the sandals that were under it. Grabbing the towel from the sand, she rolled it and pushed it into the bag. "It was very entertaining to chat with you Hatori-san." She said smiling down at him. "Thank you." 

"No. Thanks to you for keeping me company. It had been a while since I had a chat like this one." Hatori smiled up at her. 

"Me too." She chirped, and said as she brushed past him. "See you around." 

Hatori watched her walk away over his shoulder, and turned back to the front once she was out of view. For a moment, he allowed himself to go back to a moment of his life when things didn't seem that bad. 

_He, looking younger, stood over the wet sand, his hand extended towards a girl, younger than him. "You know how to swim. Don't worry, there's nothing to fear." _

_"But I'm scared of the sea!" She answered, shaking her head lightly as she wrapped her arms around herself. "What if something bites my feet? Shigure told me there are crabs under the sand and that they can cut your toes off with their pincers." _

_Hatori chuckled at her innocence. "He's just trying to scare you." He walked to her and grabbed her hand. "You were dieing to come here. Why are you so reluctant to go in now?" _

_"I'm scared!" She whined, while looking up at him with teary eyes. "Can't you understand that?" _

_"I'm with you." He said smiling warmly at her. "There's nothing to fear." He placed his other hand on her head and chuckled. "Just don't hug me in the water. I don't know where I'd end up if I transformed there." _

_That earned a smile from her. "Alright." Her grip on his hand tightened. "But don't let go of me!" _

_"I would never let go of you Sara." He said reassuringly as they walked into the water. "Trust me."_

"I really wish…" He whispered with saddened eyes. "I could have kept my word." 

° 

"Hello?" Shigure chirped into the phone, which had ringed several times before he got to it. His happy face slipped off. "We'll be there soon." He said and hung up. He walked out of the small villa towards the beach where everyone was gathered, playing in the water, except for Kyo who was sitting far enough from the shore. "Everyone!" He said with a smile on his face. "We have an unexpected guest." He announced bringing everyone's attention on him. "Akito wishes to see us all. Of course, except Kyo and Tohru-kun." 

Happiness vanished from the faces of the younger ones. Ayame laughed in his typical non-worried way. "Don't worry little brother!" He said as he wrapped his arm around Yuki's shoulder. "Your big brother is here to protect you!" And with that an argument began between the siblings, lightening up the mood. 

Hatori walked up to Shigure. "I'll tell her to leave." He said as he passed by him. 

Shigure reached out and grabbed Hatori's sleeve, stopping him. "You should head first to the main house and check on Akito's health." He smiled back at the doctor, fanning himself with a hand fan shaped like a heart of spades. Then he walked past him saying, "I'll go tell her." 

Hatori stared at Shigure's back for a while before turning the opposite direction, heading to the main house. –_I hope Akito doesn't get nostalgic out of the sudden and request her presence. And if he does, I hope she'll be gone by then._

Shigure reached the small house's front and could hear loud music coming from it. He walked up to the door and knocked, but no one came to answer the door. He decided to go in. "Sara-san?" He called out looking around the living room and the kitchen but didn't find her, and considered going into the bedroom from which the loud music was coming from, but decided that she couldn't in there otherwise she'd have to be deaf to stand that volume.

Going through the kitchen he reached the laundry room, noticing the washing machine was on, and the door to the patio was open. He stepped closer to it, and saw her extending a blanket along the clotheslines. The music seemed to come out there as well through a window. The song ended, and soon began another, this one less upbeat than the previous one. He leaned against the doorframe staring at her back while she sang along. 

"Why, oh why do I love you so much? My tears overflow this much" Sara sang as she grabbed another blanket from the wicker basket sitting on the grass. She hummed the next lines and then continued, "Why do I love you so much? Your voice rings inside me so much it makes me sad. Just what it was that supported me so much from afar. I realize it now. Like a lost child, crying and searching, but there was no such thing as forever." 

"It's okay if you don't believe in anyone, you whispered. Were the two of us really alike?" All the blankets were on the lines now, and she picked up the basket, turning around. She gasped and dropped the basket when she saw Shigure standing at the doorway. "Shi-shigure-san! What are you doing here?" 

He chuckled lightly, fanning himself slightly. "I'm sorry. I knocked and called out, but no one came. I guessed for the music you were home so decided to come look for u." 

"Ah! I'm sorry!" She quickly apologized, walking hurriedly to the door. "I'll go turn it down." 

"No. That's not why I came." Shigure said, his smile disappearing from his lips. "I know we said that you could stay, but-" 

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked innocently. 

Shigure smiled, shaking his head. "I don't think that's possible." He said more to himself than to her. "Someone arrived earlier this morning it seems, and I fear you'll have to leave due to his arrival. He doesn't like strangers around the family." 

"The guest at the main house." She said softly as if remembering something. 

"How do you know?" Shigure asked, worried that Akito had come here first. 

"Grandpa has been there since 8 a.m. He left a note saying he'd be there and not to look for him since he'd be very busy." She explained herself and then asked, "How long do I have to be gone?" 

"I can't tell you for certain, but preferably a week." Shigure watched her as she walked past him, back into the laundry room. He watched her while she unloaded the washing machine, throwing the clothes into the basket. "I'm truly sorry. If it depended of me, you wouldn't have to leave." –_Lucky!_ He thought while staring at her slender legs going up to the curve of her hips. She was wearing jean shorts and a small purple flannel pulled back by a knot at the middle of her back. Then he noticed a scar line snaking out of the flannel, curving to her side. "That scar…" He spoke his thoughts out loud, startling her. 

"Ah!" Sara smiled, pulling down the flannel to cover it. "An accident." 

"How did it happen?" Shigure asked before thinking, and then noticed the look on her face telling him she didn't like him to be prying. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." 

Sara decided to let her guard down. "It was a car accident when I was 16. Fortunately nothing serious happened to me. Just got that scar." She bent over to pick the basket when the cell phone attached to the short's waistline began beeping. "Excuse me." She said giving him a brief look before bringing the cell phone to her ear. "Yes?" A pause, and a big smile on her face. "Hi Yoshi. Just the person I was thinking of." She giggled. "Always, but right now I need to come for me. Can I stay at your place for a week?" 

Shigure remembered the guy with her at the bar after they finished performing, the one that kissed her. –_Her boyfriend_. He thought, smiling trying to keep his face from showing the feelings running wild in him by now. 

"Okay. I'll be ready in an hour. Later hon." She said sweetly before hanging up. "Is that ok? I still need to finish the laundry before leaving. Grandpa isn't exactly fond of these kind of chores." 

"It is alright." Shigure nodded. –_Akito will be busy for the next couple of hours so there's no risk of him seeing her. I doubt he'll come look for her, but then, he is very volatile and unpredictable. _He stepped closer to her, grabbing her hands, ignoring the surprised look on her face. He had to say good-bye, at least this time, properly. 

"I'm glad that I was able to meet you again." He said softly, smiling warmly at her. He allowed himself a daring move, knowing she could react negatively. Reaching out to her face, he caressed her cheek gently, enjoying the light blush that crept to her cheeks immediately. "Please take care of yourself." He whispered as he leaned over and kissed her other cheek lightly. "Good-bye." 

Sara stared at him as he stepped away from her and walked out of the laundry room. She brought her hand to the cheek he kissed, looking somewhat confused for a moment. Her eyes were then clouded with something that looked like sadness, dropping to the floor. "Good-bye." She whispered, caressing her cheek. 

° 

Shigure adjusted the frame of his eyeglasses on the bridge of the nose as he continued to read a book. He was sitting on the tatami under a window. Next to him sat Akito, looking out the window with a lost look in his eyes. Outside the sun was bright and every thing seemed full of life, so unlike him. 

"That woman." Akito muttered, breaking the silence that had reigned in the room for a good while. "Have you seen that woman?" 

"Who?" Shigure asked impassive as he flipped a page and continued reading. 

"THAT woman." The young clan leader hissed. "Don't play fool with me Shigure." 

"Ah…" Shigure smiled, setting his book on his lap. "No. She wasn't here when we arrived." –_It had been three days already since he arrived. I was starting to wonder when he'd ask for her._ He heard him do a low approving sound, and he guessed that the matter was closed. 

"I'm tired. Leave me alone." Akito muttered, as he stood up walking to a pair of doors half open. 

"Alright." Shigure stood up and went to another set of doors. He slid one open, and slid it close behind him. 

Akito looked at the doors through which Shigure left from the corner of his eye, anger glowing in them. "Liar." He said between gritted teeth. 

Shigure walked down the dark oak hallways until he reached a solarium. There was a long wicker sofa along with a pair of chairs made of the same material, and in the middle a table with a vase with purple flowers. He sat down on a corner of the sofa. Suddenly he was transported to a moment of his past, the sun replaced by rain. He looked up to the door and there was young Sara, -her light blue dress' hem swaying as she sauntered towards the couch bare foot. 

_"You're done?" Young Shigure asked with an expectant look on his face, -his book forgotten on his lap the moment she appeared. He watched her step on to the couch, forcing him to look up. "What's with the silly grin?" _

_"Nothing." She chirped as she took two short steps on the soft blue cushion and knelt down next to him. "I simply loved it." She smiled warmly. "Your novel totally moved me. I declare myself your #1 fan and you must give me the first book signed as soon as you publish it." _

_"Eh?" An amused smile twitched on his lips. "So you don't agree with Hatori about it being just a trashy novel?" _

_"I really don't think you're trying to reach the type of reader Hatori is." Sara tittered, leaning on the sofa's back, making herself more comfortable. "I felt really identified with Sora-chan, and I think girls my age, even older, will feel identified with her as well. I truly believe it will be very popular Shi-chan!" _

_"I'm glad you liked it. I had a very good model for Sora-chan." Shigure said softly, staring into her eyes. _

_"Oh really? And who might that be?" She asked genuinely oblivious to the hint behind his words. _

_He laughed and patted her head. "You'll find out when you receive your signed copy." His eyes fell for a moment on the small, red mole over her right collarbone. –She's so dense. I couldn't have given a clearer hint with Sora. _

_She pouted cutely and pulled at his shirt's sleeve like a kid. "Mou…come on! Please tell me!" She looked at him suspiciously. "Is she your secret girlfriend who you won't introduce me to?" _

_"Ma, ma!" He chuckled. "Don't be so curious Sa-chan!" _

_She frowned, pouting even more. "Mean…" Then she grinned, quickly reaching out to his torso and began tickling him. "I'll tickle you till you tell me!" She threatened him giggling while he laughed out loud. _

_"Tickle fight!" Ayame yelled as he jumped to the couch and began tickling Sara as well. _

_Hatori stood at the doorway smirking. "Kids." Soon there were clouds of smoke on the couch. Once it cleared, there as a white snake wrapped around Sara's neck, and a black dog sitting next to her, and pieces of clothing laying around. _

_"You can't keep secrets from me Shi-chan!" Sara declared between giggles as she pressed her forefinger to Shigure's nose. "I'll find out for sure no matter how!" _

The room was filled with sun again as Sara's smiling image next to him vanished. –_It was never a secret._ He thought as he saw Hatori walk into the solarium, bringing a cigarette to his lips. He watched Hatori sit down on chair in front of him. –_You just didn't want to see it._

"What?" Hatori asked wondering what the dog was smiling at as he lit his cigarette. 

"Nothing." Shigure said as he opened once again his book and continued his reading. 

° 

Haru stared at the map board intently. –I shouldn't have crossed those gates. He thought regretfully, turning around to meet three girls giggling and whispering nearby while looking at him. –_Probably if I go back on my steps I might find my way. He decided, the thought of asking the girls for help never crossed his mind. _

He turned to his left and walked down the sidewalk, looking at the store signs and looking for familiar signs that he had seen on his way there. He sighed deeply. "I don't recognize anything. I must have gone the other way." He guessed, turning around abruptly, and bumped into someone. –_Damn it! _He cursed mentally ready to transform in the middle of the town's busiest street, but it didn't happen. He looked down and noticed a paper bag and food scattered around the place as well as the woman kneeling, picking them up. "I'm truly sorry." He muttered as he knelt down to help. 

"Oh no!" Sara smiled up at the young man, grabbing a pair of green apples from the floor and putting them back into the brown bag. "It was my fault. I wasn't paying attention where I was going." 

"I'll pay for your spoiled food." He offered, picking up the oranges. 

"Nothing was spoiled I think." She grabbed the noodles packs, which were the last thing on the floor. "Don't worry about it." She stood up, hugging the bag to her chest. "I'm truly sorry for troubling you." –_I really should stop looking at the shop windows while moving._ She reprimanded herself. 

Haru still had an orange in his hand and reached out to put it in the bag. "I'm the one who wasn't paying attention." Setting the orange in the bag, his eyes traveled unconsciously to her neck, falling on her collarbone.

_"Why are you crying?" A gentle feminine voice asked. _

_Little Haru, looked up from the crook formed by his arms over his knees, tears staining his innocent face. _

Haru frowned at the image that came up to his mind so suddenly, -a woman smiling, whose face he couldn't see but her lips, and a red dot on her right collarbone.

"Are you alright?" Sara cocked her head to a side. 

He was brought back from his reverie with the sound of her voice, and he shook his head. "I'm lost. Could you help me?"

Sara nodded. "Sure. Where do you want to go?" 

"Sohma state." He said, sliding his hands into his gray pants' pockets. 

Sara smiled, knowing the way there better than anyone. "Well you have to go down this street and turn-" 

"I'll get lost." Haru pointed out, reaching out with his left hand to his head to scratch it. "Got bad sense of direction." 

"Ah-" Sara blinked, not knowing how to answer to that, but then smiled. "Then come with me. I'll leave this home and then take you there." 

Haru simply nodded and followed her down the sidewalk, keeping a safe distance from her but close enough to keep from losing her. Soon they arrived to a small house, and she invited him in. 

"Wait here please." She said, as she set the bag on the counter, and walked out of the kitchen. 

"Hon, I need to go to the state. I'll be back in a jiff." He heard her say before coming back into the kitchen holding a set of keys. "Your husband won't get upset?" He suddenly asked. 

Sara froze on her steps, and then laughed. "I'm not married yet, and no he wouldn't even if he knew I was taking a boy with me." She grabbed his hand and led him to the back door. "Come." 

Haru blinked, staring down at their hands together. –She's pretty bold. He thought as he was brought into the garage. There he saw a red motorcycle. –Not good. 

Sara gave him a blue helmet. "I hope you don't mind riding with me." 

"Ah…" Haru didn't know what to say. He just couldn't tell her that if he got too close he would transform into a big cow. 

Sara put on her green helmet as she sat on the black leather seat, turning the ignition key. "It's getting dark. Come on." She called out for him. "Don't worry. I know how to ride it." 

-That's not what I'm scared of. He thought as he walked up to the bike and straddled it behind her, putting on the helmet. 

She grabbed his hands that were resting on his lap, chuckling lightly as she set them on her waist. "Hold on tightly." Haru blushed, something rare on him, as he held on to her waist. He was thankful that she couldn't look back at him. "You can hug me if you want. It's safer that way." 

-Not so safe. He thought, shaking his head. "I'm alright." His grip tightening around her waist, fingers hooked on the side loops of her jeans. 

Without further notice, she pulled out of the door-less garage and into the street, zooming off towards the Sohma state. Ten minutes later they were in front of the gate. Haru was about to thank her and hop off when she brought out a small remote control and opened the gates. –_What the-?_ He thought taken totally by surprise. 

She drove up till the villa, stopping at the entrance. "Well you're home." She said after sliding up the helmet's transparent visor. 

The white and black haired teen hopped off the bike, taking off the helmet and giving it back to her. "Why do you have a remote control?" 

"Haru!" Yuki called out the cow's name as he walked closer, coming from the beach area. "We had been looking for you everywhere." 

"Got lost." Haru said simply. 

"We guessed that much." Yuki muttered with a little humor in his tone. 

"Well Haru-kun, I've got to jet." Sara chirped, interrupting them. "Bye." She turned the bike around and zoomed off again before he could say anything. 

"Who is she?" Yuki asked staring after her just like Haru. 

Haru raised his eyebrows, blinking once. "Didn't ask her name." He didn't notice Yuki's sweat drop face. "But I think I'm in love." 

Yuki face faulted, holding on to the other's arm to keep his balance. "Weren't you sulking not long ago for Rin?" 

"Ah." Haru nodded, turning towards the house, putting his hands in his pockets "That's right." 

° 

Sara felt nervous over going against the rules set by the Sohma family, and for coming to the state when she was expressly ordered to stay away from there until she was called back. She had left the bike away from the main villa and walked into the gardens taking care that no one saw her. –Grandpa is always finishing the gardening around this hours. He must be somewhere around here. 

She found Fujima-san soon enough as he came towards her pushing a wheel cart. His eyes turned into saucers the minute he saw her. "I know. I know." She said as he opened his mouth to reprimand her. "But you've forced me to come." 

"What are you saying child? You shouldn't be here! Leave immediately before the young master sees you here." He kept his tone low but there was anger in it. 

"Didn't I tell you to go buy your medicine today? You should have run out of it with this morning's dosage. " She began following him as he hurried towards the front of the house. It was obvious to her that he wanted to get her out of there quickly but she didn't complain. Instead, she continued to reproach him for his irresponsible actions. "I checked with Yarima-sensei if you had gone to get them and he said you hadn't even called to have them delivered." Sara said angrily, putting her hands on her hips. "Why do you have to be so stubborn and always ignore my orders?" 

"Why do you always have to be such a brat and go against MY orders?" Fujima shot back, letting go of the cart forcefully. "Don't you understand that you just can't do whatever you please in this place!"? 

"What's going on here?" 

Both of them jerked their heads the direction that voice came from. Luckily for them, it was only Shigure, wearing his usual kimono, and walking towards them. "Sara-san, you really shouldn't be here." He said in a stressed tone, his eyes looking for someone in the surroundings as he spoke. "You should leave." 

Sara didn't say anything to him. Instead she turned her face to her grandfather again, retaking their argument. "I wouldn't have come if you would have done as I told you!" She brought a small rectangular box out of her jeans' right pocket, taking Fujima's hand and placing the box on it. "I don't care about this damned house's rules if it comes to your health. And yeah, I'll keep being a brat if that's what is necessary to make you understand that you are my family and I still need you, so please take care of yourself for God's sake!"

She turned around and bowed deeply towards Shigure. "I apologize for making this scene in front of your house Shigure-san." Then she straightened, staring directly into the dog's eyes. "But I won't apologize for ignoring your orders." 

"It didn't come from but the from the clan's head." He said, silently apologizing to her for the situation, knowing that she had the right to be there as well, no matter what Akito said. "But for your own good Sara-san, leave now." 

Sara just nodded and glanced back at Fujima. "I'll call you tomorrow night." Then she headed towards the place where she left the bike, disappearing of their view. 

Shigure's eyes turned to the older man, not looking pleased. "Is that how you've been treating her?" 

Fujima shot back a nasty glare at him, closing his fist around the pill's box. "She is MY granddaughter." A smirk curved his lips. "Our relationship Sohma-san, is really none of your business." 

"You've got some nerve." Shigure hissed, glaring at him but smirking as well. 

"No more than any of you. " Fujima bit back before turning around walking towards the cart. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have things to do." 

Shigure took a deep breath to calm down, and then his face had changed from dark to calm. He muttered to himself as he walked back into the solarium. "Yare yare…some people just don't know the place where they belong." 

Unknown to him, Akito had been watching the whole scene from afar. He wasn't able to see well the woman's face but he was certain of that person's identity. "It seems, that you are the one stone I can never get out of my shoe." He hissed, closing his fist so tight that his knuckles were ghost white. 

_Summer comes to an end. _

_Summer memories were planted _

_In the younger one's hearts. _

_Bonds become stronger than before. _

_Summer memories were stirred _

_In the elder's minds. _

_No regrets. _

_Nothing can go back to be what it used to be. _

_You can only move forward. _

_Move forward to an unknown future. _

_And dream, and hope for the best. _

_And dream, and hope, _

_That summer shall come again. _

° March 2003 ° 

Sara looked to her side with a apprehensive look. "I get scared when you're so hyper." 

The smaller woman walking next to her laughed out loud, covering her mouth with her hand, but still attracted the attention of other pedestrians. "I'm happy! What can I say? I'll finally get what I've been waiting for so long!" 

Both of them wore black overcoats due to the cold weather. Even though winter was soon to be gone, it was still very cold. They stopped in front of a small shop with a sign that had a big pink rose and the name of the store written over it. 

"Come, come!" The brown haired woman grabbed Sara's hand and pulled her into the shop when the sliding doors opened. "Good morning!" She called out into the store where no one was around. 

"A textile shop?" Sara muttered looking at the rolls of different types of textiles. 

"Welcome to-" A woman, dressed in a light green nurse like uniform popped from behind the shelves. "Ah! Akima-san!" 

"Yo!" Akima chirped as she pranced towards the woman of eyeglasses. "Is it ready Mine-chan?" 

Before Mine could answer, Ayame appeared from behind the curtain wearing a blue, turtle neck robe under a dark purple coat with black and gray fur neck and cuffs. "Aki-chan!" He exclaimed and grinned at her. "I take it you come for that thing." 

Akima nodded vehemently. "Is it ready?" 

"Of course it is!" Ayame grinned wider as he slid his arm over her shoulders. "Mine, why don't you lead Aki-chan to the dressing room so she can try it on before taking it?" 

Akima shook her head lightly. "That's not necessary Ayame-kun! I trust your gifted ability. I'm sure it fits me perfectly." 

Ayame pushed her lightly towards Mine. "Oh but I insist." 

"Well, I guess I won't lose anything." Aki wrapped her arm around Mine's arm, looking back at Sara who was standing still close to the door. "What are you doing back there Sara!" 

"Wondering what kind of shop this is." Sara said staring at three mannequins, dressed in very skimpy uniforms, -police woman, maid, and waitress. 

"It is a shop of dreams!" Ayame began as he neared her with open arms. "It is a shop to help men's romance and fantasies come true!" 

"A-Ayame-san!" Sara looked at him bewildered. –_The shop is named after HIM. Never thought such coincidence could happen. _

"I'll be right back Sara!" I want to know your opinion." Akima announced before leaving with Mine. 

"How wonderful to see you here Sara-chan!" Ayame wrapped his arm around her shoulders snugly, guiding her towards the waiting area where there were two couches and a coffee table. "Come! Let's have some tea and chat while Aki-chan changes." 

"Thank you…" Sara muttered, not sure if she should stay or run away. 

Ayame pulled the sash knot of her overcoat undone, and slipped the heavy piece of clothing off her shoulders before she could even complain. "Have a seat please." He said as he turned to hang the coat on a coat hanger. "Not even in my wildest dreams I would have thought that you'd crossed those doors and visit my shop." 

"It is a real coincidence." Sara smiled, watching him bring a tray with a teapot and a pair of cups. "I had no idea you had a shop and much less in this city." 

"Of course you wouldn't know." Ayame muttered as he set the tray on the coffee table in front of her and poured some of the aromatic liquid into a cup. "Sugar?" 

"No thank you." She said, and received the cup from his hands. 

"So tell me, what brings you into this beautiful place? What made you leave paradise?" Ayame kept his questions subtle. "Vacations?" 

"I moved here." Sara answered while looking around, waiting for her tea to cool down a bit more. 

Ayame had the cup to his lips when she said that but didn't drink from it. –Not good. He set the cup back on the saucer. "Is that a good idea? I mean, your grandfather being ill and also such a dramatic change of surroundings." 

Sara faced him smiling softly, but there was sadness in her eyes. "He died in November." 

Ayame's face lost its gleaming aura for a moment. "I am truly sorry. I had no idea." 

"There's no way you could have known Ayame-san." Sara smiled, taking a sip of her chamomile tea. "Besides it is not a loss, it is a gain." She muttered, setting the cup on the saucer. "I like to see it that way. He was in too much pain his last days that I prayed for death to come for him." 

"You were heard loud and clear." Ayame said sympathetically. "At least he is resting now in a better place than this earthly world." She only nodded, not wanting to speak more about it and he noticed this, but he needed to question her more. 

"Tencho," Mine stepped out from behind the curtains. "She's ready." 

"Oh! Please come out here Aki-chan!" Ayame chirped, going back to his cheerful mode. 

"Tada!" Aki jumped out wearing blue, high heeled shoes, white stockings till half her thighs held there by pins that came out from under her tight, very short mini skirt, probably attached to a garter belt. Also a blouse tight at her middle, with very deep cleavage, which left most of her breasts, exposed. The blouse had a pocket in which a label was sewn into. 

"It fits you perfectly Aki-chan!" Ayame exclaimed proudly, "Of course it was made by this magnificent tailor! Don't you think so Sara-chan?" 

Sara recognized the label immediately and knew her friend's intentions. "Don't tell me you're going to his office wearing THAT!" She said, pointing at her outfit with a stupefied countenance. 

"You don't like?" Akima looked at her innocently, giving a turn, making her big chest bounce lightly. 

"Ah…" Sara felt shivers go down her spine, and shook her head lightly. 

Right then, Hatori walked in with his usual stoic face, -the first person he saw was Akima. He noticed the outfit and looked back to Ayame, not looking affected by it. "Are you ready?" 

"Ah! Tori-san! What do you think of my creation?" Ayame said showing Akima to him. "Is it perfect? And Aki-chan looks so…tempting, doesn't she?" 

"You'll catch a cold." Hatori pointed out, unfazed by it. 

"That's so mean." Akima sighed and turned back to Sara pouting. "Ne Sara! Really need your opinion." 

Sara walked up to her. "If I give you my sincere opinion, will leave that idea of going to his office dressed like that?" Akima seemed to consider it for a moment and shook her head negatively. "Well all I can say it is…so you." 

"Thanks!" Akima chirped, and grinned at Ayame. "You heard Ayame-san? She said it is sublime!" 

"Never said that." Sara pointed out. 

Ayame laughed in his usual confident way. "It is, it is! I designed and made it after all." 

"I'm surprised to see you here." Hatori admitted, looking down at Sara, his eyes softened. 

"I'm even more. Didn't think I'd meet you here of all places." Sara referred to Ayame's special shop. 

"He insisted that I picked him up for lunch." Hatori said explaining his presence in such a place. 

"Eh… he's unaffected by my beautiful clothes," Akima exclaimed, and jumped to Sara, grabbing her arm and looking very possessive. "But seems very happy to see my dear dear Sara. What's the meaning of this?" 

Sara blushed lightly, pulling her arm away from Akima but it was to no avail since she held on tighter. "Akima, could you let go please?" 

"Don't take it so personal Aki-chan!" Ayame's arm snaked around Hatori's. "Tori-san here is more the nurse-assistant type, not secretary type." 

"Ah… I see!" Akima seemed satisfied with the explanation. 

"Stop the nonsense." Hatori bit back in his usual cool manner. 

"Hai!" Ayame sing song-ed looking up cutely at him, then pranced to Sara's side, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "So where are you taking us for lunch?" 

"Eh?" Sara and Hatori reacted at the same time. 

"You're coming with us of course Sara-chan!" Ayame declared, "It would be really rude of us if we didn't take our dear friend with us!" 

"Since when you are my friend?" Sara pointed out looking suspiciously at him. 

"I think it is a great idea!" Akima butted in, nodding vehemently, her eyes gleaming. "My dear dear Sara needs to enjoy herself more, and what better company than two handsome men!" 

"Here you go Akima-san. " Mine, who had disappeared, came back with Akima's coat and a bag with the clothes she had been wearing. 

"Thank you Mine-chan! You're an angel!" Akima chirped, getting into the overcoat, wrapping it snugly around her, and then took the bag. "I'll come by next week so you start designing a new model I have in mind." 

"Sounds perfect to me." Ayame smiled brightly. "It's so good to have customer's like you." 

"Don't you have to pay for it still?" Sara asked, noticing that Akima was already heading out. 

"Eh? I always pay in advance when he designs it for me." Akima said as if it was something obvious. 

"Without even seeing the outcome?" Sara couldn't understand her friend at all. 

"I have full confidence in Ayame-san's mastery!" Akima chirped. "Have fun the three of you." She said with a sly grin. "I won't come home tonight for sure, so you have all the apartment for yourself." She totally ignored Sara's dagger filled glare and gave a half serious look to Ayame and Hatori. " You better be gentle with her. She's my precious unspoiled flower." 

Sara paled bringing her hand to her stomach, looking down. "Why are you doing this to me?" She muttered to herself. 

"Oh so pure as snow!" Ayame exclaimed, "Don't worry, we'll take care of her. Tori-san and I will be more than glad to-" 

"Could you stop it?" Hatori sighed rubbing the upper part of his nose's bridge. "I'm sorry Sara-san." 

Sara shook her head lightly looking down still. "I apologize as well." 

"Anyways," Akima kept her finger on the subject. "The apartment is all yours, just don't use my bedroom or the kitchen." 

Ayame pouted at her. "But the kitchen can be so fun!" 

Akima laughed, "I know! I know! But I want to use it first! You see, I just moved into that apartment and we've BEEP in every corner of it except for the kitchen. So many things that you can have fun with in there, like BEEP BEEP BEEP on the counter or-" 

"Yes, yes!" Ayame nodded vehemently. "Or BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP on-" 

"Ayame it's enough." Hatori ordered. 

"Hai!" Ayame and Akima sing song-ed. 

Akima peeked from Ayame's side to look at Sara. "Well see you tomorrow Sa-" 

Sara looked all gloomy, holding her hands to her ears protectively. "Why oh why of all places in the world did I decide to come here?" She said in a monotone voice as if reciting a mantra. "I knew it. I've always known. Stupid me. Stupid me. Why did I have to come here of all places of the world?" She continued to mutter. "My energy…my energy… it's being drained. I can feel it." 

Akima sighed tenderly and hopped to Sara's side, hugging her tightly. "Isn't she sweet?" She asked looking at Ayame who smiled, nodding. "She adores me even if it doesn't look like it, just like I adore her." She then hopped in front of Hatori and bowed deeply. "Please take good care of her." 

"Earth, please open wide and engulf me for I can't handle any more embarrassment." Sara continued to mutter. 

"Weren't you going somewhere?" The doctor said, upset with the whole moment. He couldn't believe there was actually an Ayame counterpart out there and that by wrong decisions of life, they had encounter each other, seemingly unstoppable, as well as unbearable, when together. 

"I'm a woman in a mission!" Akima chirped as she rushed to the door. 

"Have fun!" Ayame said as she crossed the doors, and they closed after them. 

Mine bowed at the doors. "Thank you for your preference." 

Sara came out of her reverie automatically, and bowed deeply towards Hatori. "I am deeply sorry for Akima's attitude. Please excuse her." Then she straightened up and muttered under her breath. "She was born with a brain defect." She heard Hatori smirk more than saw him, and turned her face immediately to him. He was smiling, which made her smile as well. 

"I couldn't express it better." Hatori pointed out at Ayame who was yapping with Mine close by. "But I think it is a acquired disease for this one suffers of the same." 

Sara giggled softly, nodding in agreement with him. "I'm glad I've met you again Hatori-san." She said warmly. "I'm sorry I couldn't say good-bye back at the beach, but I was requested to leave." 

"Yes, I know." Hatori nodded, his smile disappearing. "I'm sorry about that." 

She shook her headlight and smiled, "Those were the rules and I knew them well." 

"They look so nice together!" Mine sighed dreamily while staring at the other two talk. "They're like a couple brought out of a romance novel." 

"You're so right Mine." Ayame smiled, sighing inwardly. –_It is a pity that a 'them' will never happen, and 'us' will never be part of 'their' vocabulary. _He brought out his cheerful mode instantly, overcoming the distance between him and them in a big step, hugging Sara's shoulders. "Tori-san let's take this beautiful maiden to a fine restaurant! She deserves only the best!" And before Sara could try to refuse once again, she had her coat on and Ayame was leading her out of the shop with Hatori following closely. 

**_***Hate it? Like it? Love it? Whichever is your pick, please review. :) -Shihori._**

**_Answers to reviewers: _**

**_K-chan: I'm glad you liked it! Hope you continue to like it. It's already finished so don't worry about not getting to read its ending. And I don't exactly explain it where they know her from but the story itself gives the answer. Thank you for reviewing!_**


	3. Chapter 03

**_****DISCLAMER: I don't own Fruit Basket nor any of its characters. Sara Fujima and other characters not original from furuba, are obviously mine. _**

**_ This fic centers mostly around Hatori, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji, -exactly in that level of importance. The rest of the Sohma and Tohru make small appearances. If you feel it is rushed all I can say to that is "Sorry. I'm busy with university classes, so I try to keep my fics as short as possible." If there are any mistakes with the names, I was typing too fast. Mistakes with the nicknames: they are so many that I sometimes get confused. Anyways…I hope you like the story. Thank you for reading and please review. I'd like to know your opinions whether they are constructive or destructive. In other words, flames are accepted, so fire away. _**

****

**_Shihori._**

~*~*~*~*~

Sara stepped out of the car's back seat thanking Ayame for opening the door for her. She turned to them, Hatori having walked around the car and stood next to Ayame. "Thank you for the lovely afternoon. I had a lot of fun in your company." 

Ayame grabbed her hand and said in a silky voice. "No… I thank you for bringing some sunshine to this wintry heart of mine." Then he laughed at her completely lost face. "Or so Tori-san should say since he rarely smiles in winter time." 

"Ayame." Hatori's voice carried a tone of disapproval. 

"Eh….why's that?" Sara asked Ayame in a sudden outburst of curiosity. 

Ayame blinked, and then grinned as his arm snaked around her shoulders. "I'll tell all about it if you invite me into your apartment." 

Hatori stared angrily at him. "I think she has had more than enough of you for today Ayame. Let's go." 

"Mou… you're no fun Tori-san!" Ayame pouted cutely, making the young woman next to him giggle. Suddenly he felt something pushing him at the leg, and he stepped aside. He blinked, looking down at a kid probably 6 years old, hugging Sara's leg protectively. "And who are you?" He asked with a demanding tone, looking upset for being pushed away from Sara. 

"She's my girlfriend so keep your hands off her cross-dresser!" The boy gave him a nasty glare. 

"Gashi-kun, don't be rude with my friend." Sara looked disapprovingly at him. 

"Ah!" Ayame squealed, jumping to Hatori's side. "She's already taken!" He patted the doctor's shoulder. "I'm so sorry for you Hatori…but I promise I'll find you someone soon! In the meantime, you have me!" Hatori only sighed tiredly. 

"Let's go Sa-chan!" Gashi grabbed her hand and pulled at it. "Shaman King is about to start." 

"Hai hai…." Sara smiled and waved good-bye to Hatori and Ayame as she allowed Gashi to pull her away. "See you around." 

"Bai!" Ayame waved back and looked up to Hatori, looking worriedly. "What are we going to do? You'll tell Akito?" 

"Can you keep a secret?" Hatori stared after Sara who was laughing at something the kid said as they walked into the apartment building. Ayame nodded affirmatively. "Then we'll keep it a secret, from Akito…" Then he added. "And Shigure." 

Ayame frowned, "I don't like keeping it from him, but he's too close to Akito." 

Deceiving Bonds: Chapter 2 

"Why you asked her that question?" Hatori asked while keeping an eye on the road. It was snowing lightly. 

Ayame smiled, "Curiosity." 

Hatori's eyes seemed distant and his face remained serious. "We really should keep our distance from her. We'll only harm her." 

"Are you saying we shouldn't be selfish?" Ayame looked at him, and guessed for his cousin's silence that it was a 'yes' to his question. "Weren't we selfish back then? Staying close to her now, wouldn't it be like making up for our lack of guts back then?" 

"Things are worse now than back then." Hatori pointed out, his grip tightening around the steering wheel. "Akito couldn't forgive her ten years ago. What makes you think he'll accept her around again?" 

"She's probably the only person he loved sincerely." Ayame shrugged, gathering his hair over his shoulder and braiding it. "Or so it seemed to me." He looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "He was too scared to lose her to someone else that he preferred to take her away from his life, and ours." 

Hatori muttered. "It was for the best." 

"Keep repeating that." Ayame leaned his elbow on the door, resting his chin on his palm. "Maybe someday you'll believe it." 

Hatori's grip tightened once again on the wheel. _When snow melts, what will it become?_

_"Ne ne…Sara-chan?" Ayame took another scoop of his vanilla ice cream parfait. Only someone like him would think of having ice cream in winter. "When snow melts, what will it become?" _

_"Eh?" Sara stopped from getting another scoop of melted ice cream and apple pie. "What kind of question is that?" _

_"Don't pay attention to him." Hatori took another sip of his coffee. –How did he know? _

_"I'm just curious of which your answer could be." Ayame insisted with a small grin on his face. _

_Sara blinked twice and looked out the window. They were sitting at a round table close to the ceiling high window panels, in an elegant looking restaurant. "If you want me to answer with common sense, I'd say water." Hatori looked up to her, knowing that was the same answer he gave long time ago, but his eyes couldn't divert from the smile slowly growing on her lips. "But my heart says hope." _

_"Hope?" Ayame looked at her quizzically. "Care to explain?" _

_"When snow melts, it becomes water." She began, noticing the light snowfall going out there. "Water wakes up the seeds buried under the ground, bringing life. And when life is born, so is hope." _

_"Ah! So poetic!" Ayame squealed, "I wouldn't expect less of a literature teacher like you." _

_Sara smiled sheepishly. "I'm not that good at poetry though. My strength is the novel genre." Then she noticed Hatori's warm stare on her, and she felt her face burn suddenly. "Ah-umm...anyways…" She turned her face away from him again. "That's what I think. What's the answer?" _

_Ayame shrugged, "Hatori is the one who knows it." He chuckled, knowing the doctor was glaring at him without even turning to see him. "But I guess he won't tell us." He looked out the window as well. "I hope spring comes soon. I don't like winter. It's bad for my health." _

_"I like winter." Sara smiled, "It's serene beauty." Her smile widened. "But I love summer. I hope to see another summer." _

_"Of course you will! You'll see this one and many more." Ayame exclaimed with great conviction. _

_"You seem more a summer person than a winter one." Hatori commented, setting down his cup on the saucer. "Winter is not for someone like you, Sara-san." _

_Sara smiled gently, but her eyes had a soft sad glow. "Just like nature, our hearts have four seasons and throughout our lives we experience them over and over. Every time we laugh it is summer. When we hope or dream, it is spring. Autumn takes over when indecision overcomes our thoughts and feelings. And winter lives permanently in our hearts if we lose someone and can't let go of them. Yet, our nature is to live with those three seasons, and to learn to accept them." _

_Ayame looked at her with gleaming eyes. "You say such beautiful things Sara-chan! You're the second perfect being over this world. The first one being me of course." _

_Sara giggled at his self-confidence. "You really are special Ayame-san." _

_Ayame laughed attracting the other customer's attention. "You have no idea!" _

A smile spread over Hatori's lips after remembering their lunch conversation. _-Four seasons huh? _

° 

Sara slipped her arms out of the coat and hung it on the rack along with her purse. Sitting down on the floor, she took off her black, knee high boots. She was wearing black stockings under the dark red velvet, mid-thigh skirt and a white, wide turtle neck sweater. "Gashi-kun took so long to fall asleep." She muttered to herself as she dragged her feet on the polished wood floor, freeing her hair from the tight constraint bun at the nape. Her hair unwrapped on her back when she pulled out the pins holding it together, reaching her waist. 

She didn't turn on the lights, knowing her way through the dark apartment, and went directly to her bedroom. Streetlight came in through the veil curtain in front of the French window and lit the floor with a soft pale blue like color. She sat down on the bed, which ended where the window began. Reaching out behind her, she grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly as she slipped to the floor. 

"This feeling…" She whispered resting her chin on the pillow, a smile spread on her thin lips. 

Flashbacks of Hatori when she first saw him at the beach and then at the villa where she found out who he was, came to her mind followed by some more of that same night when he went to the live house with the other two. 

"My heart was singing already for him." Her eyes gleamed with cheer happiness. "It was singing before I realized it." 

Memories of the next day when they swam together and chatted afterwards made her smile even more, like a silly high school girl. Then she remembered his intense gaze on her that afternoon while they were having dessert and his cool demeanor with Ayame and Akima, making her blush brightly and hug the pillow tighter as she hid her face against it. 

"Is this, what they call love at first sight?" She muttered bringing her face out of the pillow and stared out the window. It snowed outside. "It feels like much more, a lot more than that." 

She stood up, making the curtains aside and opened the windows letting in the cold air into the warm room. Bringing out her hand, she caught a few snowflakes, which melted, immediately with her body heat. "It feels as if my heart was melting. As if my summer and winter were blending." 

She closed the window again, and leaned her back against it. "God.. I feel like a school girl having her first crush." She giggled covering her face with both hands. –_I know him from before, I'm certain._ She thought suddenly, her happiness slipping off her countenance as she brought her hands to her chest. –_But what role did he play in my past?_

Sounds of waves crashing against rocks followed by breaking glass echoed in her ears. She frowned, bringing her hand to cover her left eye. "It hurts…" She moaned as she crawled into the bed pressing her hand harder over her eye. "It hurts!" 

° 

"We're home Sara-chan!" Akima called out as she walked in with a tall man behind her. "If you're naked you better run and hide! Ryota is here too!" 

"Gosh…you really can't stop teasing her, can you?" He chuckled as he hung their coats and followed her in after leaving his shoes at the entrance. He was dressed in a dark green suit, white shirt and his black hair was gelled back. 

Akima was back to her normal clothes too. She walked to the living room that links to the kitchen. She saw Sara leaning on the counter with both hands and her head bowed. "Hey there!" She chirped and pranced into the kitchen. 

"Good morning Fujima-san." Ryota greeted her from afar. 

"Cat bit your tongue?" Akima asked looking curiously at her. 

"Sorry…" Sara whispered with a strained voice. "Haven't felt well. My head hurts a lot" 

This made Akima worried immediately and brought Sara's face to her. "God.. you're pale." She turned to Ryota as she held Sara by the arm, leading her away from the counter. "Ryota, help us out here honey." But before he got to them, Sara collapsed on her. "Oh God Sara!" Akima cried, being forced to her knees as she tried to hold the taller and heavier woman. "Ryota!" 

_I feel as if my head is going to explode. The sea… I want to see the sea again. _Sara thought as she slowly closed her eyes, Akima's and Ryota's voices grew farther, and the sound of the waves arriving to the shore echoed in her ears. _Home…where is my home?_

She woke up with a bitter taste in her mouth and slightly dizzy. She lolled her head to her left, finding Akima sitting on a chair next to her bed and her head resting over her hands which were covering her own. "Aki-" Her throat was dry and it hurt to speak. 

Akima threw her head back as soon as she heard her name and she smiled widely, tears coming to her eyes. "You had us so worried!" She cried out and jumped to hug her. "You slept for two days." She caressed Sara's forehead. "Well you woke up in the middle of the night but you were moaning some words I didn't understand at all. You had a very strong fever when we found you and it stopped a few hours ago." 

"Water." Sara winced at the pain on her throat. 

"Ah! Yes!" Akima slid off the bed and grabbed the water jar and poured some into the glass. She brought her hand behind Sara's neck and placing the cool glass against her lips, which had chapped slightly with the fever. "You must be dizzy." She commented, "The doctor said that you would be when you woke up." 

Sara pushed the petite's hand away gently, meaning she had enough. She cleared her throat a bit before speaking. "What happened to me? What's wrong with me?" She noticed Akima's face turn ghost white as she sat down. "Akima, speak to me." 

"Well you see…" Akima began explaining her what the doctor had told her and Ryota that afternoon when he received Sara's exams. After a few minutes, all was said. 

Sara stared blankly at her friend, but got herself together and spoke her thoughts out. "So that could be the reason why I have no recollection of my past memories." 

"I mentioned that to him, but he said that wasn't possible since you lost your memories 10 years ago, and this is relatively recent." Akima explained, "In any case it is bringing your memories back." 

Sara sighed and closed her eyes. "If so, blessed it be." 

"What are you saying?" Akima cried out suddenly angry. "This is serious stuff Sara!" 

"You know how much I've hated having no memories of my parents, of anything that happened to me before I became 16." Her hands balled into fists grabbing the white sheets under them. "It is so frustrating not knowing who you are." 

"You ARE Sara Fujima." Akima pointed out, laying her hands over her arm careful not to pull of the IV line. "You are that girl who walked into my life 10 years ago and became my best friend. You are the granddaughter of that cranky old man we all feared, but only you loved." 

Sara smiled sadly at her words. "I thought so. I really believed so during all these years, but his daughter, his real daughter, proved me wrong." 

"She just made up those stories to stay with your inheritance!" Akima yelled, exasperated. "That old hag!" 

"I know deep down she didn't make up anything she said. She isn't my aunt and her children aren't my cousins, nor Grandpa was my grandfather." Sara brought her hands to her face to cover her tears. "If this allows me to know who I am, I don't care! I welcome it!" 

"Don't say that." Akima fought back tears and shook her head lightly. "You're being selfish." 

"I deserve to be at least once in my life." Sara pointed out between sniffles. "It doesn't really matter while I get to know who I am and where I belong." She brought her hands down and smiled at Akima with tears on her cheeks. "I want to find my home, that home my heart keeps calling out for." 

Akima sighed, shaking her head lightly, and leaned over to hug her friend. "Dumb girl." 

° 

Sara stood in front of the sliding door through which could be heard the student's yapping and rattle from inside. She straightened her pink, waist long blazer, checked that her white blouse under it had no stains and the pink skirt had no wrinkles, and finally that her red high heeled shoes shined. Then she took a deep breath and exhaled. Lastly, she grabbed hold of the door and slid it open with great confidence emanating from her. 

The classroom became as silent as a cemetery, and they had probably sat back in their seats with the speed of lighting, or so she guessed. It always made her nervous, the first day, but she stepped into the classroom keeping her calm aura. They were after all only teens, and she had always been able to keep a good relationship with her students. This isn't supposed to be the exception, or so she hoped. 

She slid the door close behind her and walked up to the desk. Setting her purse on it next to her portfolio case, she faced her assigned group, and smiled warmly at them. "Good afternoon. My name is Sara Fujima and I'll be your homeroom teacher." She kept herself from giggling at the hearty sighs coming from all over the place. –_If I had wrinkles and a skirt to my ankles they wouldn't be sighing like that. _ "I'll also be your literature teacher, but we'll talk about the class' dynamics later on." She walked to the front of the desk, and leaned on it. "Since the new semester opening ceremony took pretty much all morning, we'll chat and get to know a bit more about each other. Any questions?" 

A boy from the back jumped on his feet raising his hand as well. "Are you married?" 

The class erupted in laughter but the boy remained in his firm stance, his face a dark shade of crimson. Sara just giggled and shook her head. "I'm not." She moved away from the desk and walked a bit closer to the windows. "Feel free to ask anything about me. I know it takes time but I want you to see in me a friend." Pointing at the chalkboard she said, "That is when I'm not up there giving a class. Literature is my heart's love and I am very passionate about my class. I hope you respect that just like I will respect your opinions." 

"I'm so glad to hear that Fujima-sensei!" chirped one of the female students, "Our previous teacher was an old hag who didn't even like literature and much less liked teaching. Her classes were so boring! I'm really looking forward to your class!" 

"Not to mention you're way cuter than that old hag!" A male student pointed out and the rest of the boys nodded saying they agreed. 

"Thank you.." Sara said with a smile, and looked at the student sitting at the first row, first seat. "I'm sure you all know each other from the previous year, but I want to get to know you as well so could you please stand up in order and tell me your name, your hobbies, and anything you wish to share with us." 

One by one they stood up, said their names and hobbies as she had requested and she repeated their names to herself to memorizing them. It was something she liked to do to make her students feel important to her. Among them she recognized someone. –_I keep meeting them one by one. _"Hatsuharu Sohma." She whispered to herself and smiled, knowing that he had recognized her as well for the tiny smile that curved his lips. Then there was Momiji Sohma who sat right behind him, and she guessed they were family due to their surname. 

_–Cute._ She thought after Momiji's cheerful presentation, not to mention his "special" uniform. 

When the last one sat down, she thanked them with a smile. "Well then, I think it is fair to share more about me with you since you did so kindly with me." She clasped her hands behind her as she walked to the other side of the classroom. "As you can guess, one of my favorite things to do is read, -otherwise I wouldn't be teaching literature. I also love to sing. Back in my hometown I used to sing in a live house with old high school friends. Another thing I love to do is snorkeling, gardening. My main hobby is collecting old books, and I also write short stories from time to time." 

"Awesome…" Some of them whispered. 

"Could you sing something for us sensei?" One of the girls asked. 

"Some other day." Sara promised, looking up at the clock at the back of the room. "It is almost time for the chime to ring, so I'll tell you quickly about the literature class dynamics." 

In five minutes she had explained what she expected of them and the way the will work, which everyone seemed to agree with. Just in time, the school bell rang. "Thank you for today, and have a good afternoon. Dismissed." She said with a slight authoritative tone, and went to sit down behind the desk. She bid her students good-bye as they passed by and did so as well. 

Soon the classroom was empty and she stared at the empty seats. "A new start." She whispered to herself. "The beginning of a new life." The smile never wavered from her lips although she felt nostalgic, missing her old high school where she had studied and later on had taught at. –_I can't sing yet. My heart hurts too much._ She thought as she stood up grabbing her purse and portfolio case, and walked out of the room, sliding the door closed behind her. 

° 

"I'll be waiting next to phone booth in front of the crepes wagon." Haru hung up the public phone and walked out of the booth. He had got lost again and had been too stubborn to call for help earlier. So know Hatori was upset because he went missing two days. He shrugged. "Can't be helped." He muttered to himself putting his hands in his black jeans' pockets. 

He stared at the passersby and noticed someone in special among them. Before he knew it he was already walking away from the phone booth and following that person deeper into the park. When she stepped out of the cobblestone walk, he continued to follow her to a secluded spot between trees and in front of a small pond. He watched from behind a tree as she settled down under a willow tree, bringing a small radio from her bag and an old looking book. 

Haru couldn't understand what he felt whenever he saw her. The first time they met he felt he knew her from before but no matter how hard he tried to remember, he couldn't. When he saw her walk into the classroom for first time, just like every guy in the classroom, he had been impressed by her looks. Back at the beach she seemed the type of woman who could beat any guy, probably due to her driving a motorcycle, but in the classroom she presented herself as a lady-like woman. 

It had been a month since he saw her again and the nagging feeling of knowing her only became stronger with each day. He had hated having got lost Friday and Saturday since he wasn't able to see her for two days, but for chances of fate he had encountered her here. Obviously by now he had totally forgotten about Hatori coming to pick him up. 

Sara continued to read her book, keeping a hand on her blue dress' skirt so it wouldn't be blown suddenly by the breeze. Her raven hair was lose, pulled to the sides by a pair of silver crescent moon pins, and a few bangs over her forehead. She had taken off her white sandals to feel the soft grass under her feet. In her mind, she was in heaven, reading a book in a spot far from the rest of the world and listening to low instrumental music. 

"Haru!" Momiji chirped as he hopped towards the hiding cow. 

Haru immediately snapped around grabbing Momiji by the head and covering his mouth. He hushed him. "Don't want to disturb her." He released the smaller boy and they both peeked from behind the tree. 

"Eh…Fujima-sensei." Momiji muttered smiling brightly in his usual manner. "You like her!" He said as if he just discovered a great secret or the most ancient treasure of the world. 

"It isn't polite to spy on others." Hatori said in a low tone, standing behind them, not quite behind the tree as well, but definitely hiding behind the two youngsters. 

Momiji looked up at Hatori , blinked twice, and then his face lit up even more. "Hari likes her too!" 

Hatori almost dropped the unlit cigarette on his lips at those words. "Enough. Let's go you two." He said turning around. 

Haru was about follow when he saw Momiji hop away from them, grabbing three yellow flowers on his way. "Sensei!" -Too late. The cow thought as he saw her take her attention away from the book to the rabbit hoping towards her. 

"Momiji-kun?" Sara blinked her gray eyes surprised to have been found there. –_It's just a coincidence._ She thought, a smile spreading on her lips when the boy held out a hand with a tiny, yellow flowers, but flowers nevertheless. Women loved flowers and she wasn't an exception. "For me?" 

Momiji nodded beaming brightly. "Yes! One is from me." He said as she took them from his hand. "One is from Haru and the other from Hari." 

"Eh?" Sara looked the way he was staring, noticing the other two's presence for first time. She sighed almost dreamily when she saw him. "Hatori-san." 

Momiji stopped waving at them to come closer when he heard her say the doctor's name. "You know him?" 

"Ah?" Sara blushed lightly, realizing she had said it out loud. –_God! What am I? A high school girl or a 25 yrs old woman?_ She scolded herself silently. "Yeah…I do." 

"Sensei." Haru said with a casual nod. In his white mode he was too shy to say much to someone like her. 

"Hello Hatsuharu-kun." Sara smiled up at him, and tried her best to keep herself from blushing when Hatori neared as well. "Hatori-san, how are you?" 

"Fine, thank you." He saw the open book resting on her lap. "I'm sorry these two interrupted your reading." 

"It's alright." Sara shook her head slightly, smiling warmly at him. "Are you three related?" 

"We're cousins!" Momiji chirped, sitting down in front of her. Haru followed suit and Hatori sighed. –_These two are making themselves comfortable now. This will take time_. 

"What are you reading sensei?" Momiji looked curiously at the yellow-paged book. "It looks old." 

"It is!" Sara said excitedly, showing him the cover. "It's one of the first copies of Pride and Prejudice. A friend bought it from an auction and gave it to me as an early birthday present." 

Momiji got excited at the word birthday. "When's your birthday sensei?" 

Sara smiled at the cute, foreign looking boy. "It's the 25th." 

"That's a Friday." Haru pointed out, paying attention to every single word she said. 

Momiji smiled, planning already something for that day. "I see." 

_-Even her birthday date was changed. It's amazing what people can do when they want to disappear someone from their lives._ Hatori thought. "Well let's go you two so Sara-san can continue with her reading." 

"But Hari!" Momiji whined, pouting cutely at him. "I want to stay a bit longer with Fujima-sensei!" 

"Me too." Haru added with a cool face, leaning against the tree trunk. 

"I remind you that we came here to pick you up so you don't get lost again. I must go back to check on Akito." Hatori brought out a lighter and lit his cigarette. 

"Akito?" Sara asked, remembering their conversation at the beach. "Is that the person you told me about?" 

Hatori took a draw of the cigarette, and then answered, not letting any of the smoke out as he did. "Yes." Then he exhaled the smoke away from them. 

"How is he doing?" Sara seemed curious about that person. –His name sounds familiar. 

"Same as always." Hatori's face seemed to harden each time he spoke of the clan's head. 

Sara looked gently at him. "I'm sorry to hear that." Then she smiled. "But keep giving it your best. Hope is the last thing to lose." 

A small smile curved his lips. "I will." –_She'd say the same if she could remember, I'm sure. _

"Hari and Haru like you sensei!" Momiji chirped, bringing all the attention to him again. Hatori looked away, Haru shot him daggered glares, Sara blushed, and Momiji giggled at their reactions. "But that is cause sensei is a very beautiful lady!" 

Sara blushed sever shades of crimson as she managed to utter some words. "Than you Momiji-kun, but I think you exaggerate." 

"I've found you." 

Sara shrieked, jumping closer to Haru. The cow had his eyes wide in panic because for a moment he thought she'd jump on him. "Akima!" Sara yelled, holding a hand to her chest. "Don't scare me like that!" 

Akima gave her a dark stare. Behind her stood Ryota who only shrugged at Sara saying he had nothing to do with this, yet he was there. "You promised." The petite woman pointed at Sara with an accusing finger. 

Sara frowned, "I don't want to!" She forgot for the moment of her company. 

Akima's eyes raised and noticed the Sohmas, recognizing Hatori immediately. "That's the man." She moved her accusing finger to Hatori who only sighed. "That's the man who didn't like the beautiful outfit Ayame-san put so much effort in." 

"That outfit is only for me dear." Ryota chuckled, patting her head, not jealous at all. "Focus honey." 

"Sara Fujima, gather your things right now, we're going to the beauty parlor!" Akima said in a commanding voice, her eyes scary. "We have an appointment at 5 with Ayame-san so we can't be late!" 

Hatori, Haru, and Momiji sweat dropped. –She's being so dramatic for that? 

Sara pointed at Momiji. "Look Aki-chan, isn't he cute? He's the boy I've told you about." Momiji just gave her the cutest face he had, rabbit ears included. 

Akima's eyes turned into hearts. "Ah! He is! So cute!" She chirped and jumped to him, scaring the hell out of Haru and Hatori, while Momiji just smiled brightly at her. Suddenly she snapped out of it, kneeling between Momiji and Sara, looking even scarier. "You almost tricked me but it won't work twice Sara, you little devil!" 

Sara smiled sheepishly, bringing her hands forward as shield. "Really Akima, I don't want to go to that party." 

Akima stood up in a super determined stance with tears in her eyes. "I always keep my promises!" She declared, "And I promised I'd get you married by the end of this month!" 

"I don't want to get married!" Sara exclaimed, starting to feel embarrassed. 

"I also promised you'd get some F-U-N tonight!" Akima grinned down at her, "If you know what I mean." Then broke into a hysteric laugh. 

Sara sighed and turned to the boys and Hatori. "I apologize for my friend's existence. She just doesn't know what is proper to say and what is not." 

"It is quite normal for us." Hatori smirked, "Ayame is no different after all." 

Sara smiled nervously remembering the day she met him at Ayame's shop. "I have noticed." She sighed, and then smiled at them. "Well I'll see you tomorrow at school Momiji-kun, Hatsuharu-kun." She stood up and smiled at Hatori. 

"At last she has come to her senses!" Akima exclaimed, picking up Sara's things quickly and handing them to Ryota. "Tonight will be a special night for our dear Sa-chan!" She said almost in tears. "I'll make sure of it." 

Sara just sweat dropped, not looking at her. "Hopefully," She said softly, looking at Hatori, blushing lightly. "I'll see you again." 

"Most likely we'll meet again." Hatori half smiled at her. "I am these two's tutor." 

"Bye-bye." Sara smiled, a little bit disappointed since she didn't mean it that way, but it didn't matter. Grabbing her sandals and hugging the book, the three flowers as bookmark, a playful smile curved her lips. Without previous warning, she began running away. "Not going to that party!" She yelled, taunting Akima, and seriously trying to escape. 

Akima flared up and broke into a mad chase after her. "Come back here! You're going to the party and getting BEEP tonight! I swear!" 

Ryota chuckled and bowed in front of the Sohmas. "I apologize for those kids' behavior." He then walked the way they had gone. 

"I don't like that woman." Haru declared with a solemn face. 

"Let's go you two." Hatori ordered walking back the way they had come. 

Momiji chuckled and dared to taunt him a bit. "Is it because she'll get sensei married no matter what?" And ran away from him, using Hatori as a shield from Haru's daggers. 

° 

Shigure waltzed into the bookshop, and beamed a sexy smile to the woman sitting at a desk. "Hello Mayuko." 

Mayuko gave him a disgusted look. "You again? I though you'd forgotten the way here by now." 

"So mean…" He whined moving to her side. "I've come to see how you're doing." 

"I'm fine." Mayuko muttered as she grabbed a list on the desk and began reading it. "You can go back now." 

"Ara…why are you so upset?" Shigure asked curiously, leaning on the desk while looking down at her. "Any progress with Hatori? I heard he came around the other day." 

"He told you?" She asked in an uninterested manner. 

Shigure shook his head. "Aya mentioned it." 

"He came for a birthday present, before you ask." Mayuko set the list back on the desk and signed it at the bottom. 

"A present?" Shigure thought about it for a moment. "I don't know anyone whose birthday is close." 

Mayuko's eyes were shadowed for a moment. "He said it was for a very special person." 

"Eh…." Shigure grinned and poked her arm. "Now I see why you're so upset. Hatori's found a new girlfriend. Your fault for being a slowpoke!" 

"Shut up!" Mayuko looked angrily at him but then sighed. "I don't really care, while he's happy again." 

"How noble of you." Shigure said in a mocking tone and walked towards the bookshelves. His eyes skimmed through the book titles as he walked by them. From the tail of his eye he saw locks of long, black hair disappear behind the bookshelf. Curiosity got the best of him so he turned around the shelf's corner and saw her trying to reach a book while holding one to her chest. "Let me help you." He offered, reaching his hand out for the book and grabbed it, giving it to her. 

"Thank you Shigure-san." Sara smiled brightly at him. "I was wondering when I'd meet you." 

Shigure didn't understand her words. "Why you say so?" 

"Because I've met Hatori-san and Ayame-san several times since I moved here and it made me wonder if I'd meet you anytime soon." Sara said as she pulled the ponytail to rest over her shoulder. His surprised look made her guess they hadn't commented anything to him. "Ah…I'm sorry. I didn't know they hadn't told you." 

"We haven't talked much lately." Shigure said hiding his surprise. "But why did you move here?" 

"Grandpa died last winter and I was ordered to leave the beach house before the new caretaker arrived. So I came here and moved in with an old friend." Sara explained while looking for another book that could strike her interest. 

"What about your job back there?" Shigure pried, "And your boyfriend." 

Sara was taken by surprise at that. "How do you know I had a boyfriend?" 

"Had. So you broke up." Shigure tried hiding the happy tone from his words. "Wasn't he the one who kissed you back at the live house?" 

Sara thought back to that night the trio went to the live house and nodded lightly. "Yes." She noticed a small, hard cover book at the bottom and crouched to grab it. "We broke up." She said in a tone that implied that she didn't want to be questioned more about that subject. 

Shigure looked down at her, a small smile playing on his face. "I'm sorry." He decided to change the subject before he scared her away. When she stood up he followed her. "Where are you working now?" He noticed that her white blouse was very thin allowing him to see her bra line, and that the blue jeans fitted her shape nicely, showing off her curves. 

"Kaiwabara High." She said smiling. "I'm teaching 2nd grade." 

"Kaiwabara?" Shigure repeated. –I can't believe she's been so close. "I have four cousins studying there. Maybe you know them. They don't pass by unnoticed." 

Sara nodded and smiled proudly. "I'm Hatsuharu-kun and Momiji's homeroom teacher. They are very nice kids." Then she seemed to think back. "I also met Yuki-san the other day. I was asked to help out the student council. That makes three." 

"The other one is Kyou. He has orange hair and is always fighting around with Yuki. He can't have gone by unnoticed." Shigure chuckled lightly. "He's also around a girl, Honda Tohru. Yuki, Kyou, and Tohru live with me, so if they cause any trouble just call me." 

Sara blinked. "I had no idea." She smiled and put back the book she was first holding on the shelf keeping the one Shigure got for her and the small one. "It must be really fun to live with so many people." 

"It is fun to live with those three." Shigure nodded, grabbing a book without looking at it just to say he had been looking for a book. "Are you happy in your new job?" 

Sara nodded, her face brightening. "At first I wanted to go back home badly. Even though I'm almost 26 I still have this feeling like I've been stuck in the 16 years old stage. But my students have made me feel welcome. Not to mention that the friend I live with gives me no time to get depressed about things." Then she caught her tongue and giggled. "Sorry. I'm babbling too much." 

"That's alright. I want to know you better Sara-san. Probably we could become friends." Shigure decided he wasn't going to lose time at all. If she had moved there he might as well try to recover some crumbs of what they used to be. "That is if you don't mind." 

Sara shook her head, always keeping a smile on her lips. "I wouldn't mind having a new friend." 

"Great!" He eyed the titles of the books she carried. "I have the first volume to that one." 

"Oh really?" Sara stared at him. "I've been looking for it everywhere in this place thinking it could have been misplaced." 

"If you want, we can go fetch it from my house so you can read it before reading the second volume." Shigure offered, hoping she'd accept since he wanted to spend more time with her. 

"I wouldn't like to bother you Shigure-san." Sara wasn't too sure about taking advantage of her new friend as she saw it. 

"Not at all!" Shigure exclaimed, "We could exchange. I've read the first volume so you can lend me your volume and I'll lend you mine." 

"Probably I should let you buy this one so you won't ruin your collection." Sara offered him the thick book. 

"The one who finds it, keeps it." Shigure shook his head, pushing the book back to her chest. "Besides sharing is a friendship trait. Let's say it's a good beginning for ours." 

Sara giggled at his excitement and decided not to insist. "Alright." She turned around and walked out of the shelves area towards Mayuko's desk where the teacher sat at. "Mayuko-sensei, I've found a pair I had been desperately looking for. Thank you for telling me about your father's shop." 

"It's always good business to spread the word." Mayuko half smiled, taking the books from her. "Give me a minute to register them. Will you pay with cash or credit card?" 

"Credit card." Sara answered as she brought out her wallet from the back pocket on her jeans. 

"I'll take this one Mayu-chan." Shigure chirped, placing the book next to Sara's on the desk. 

Mayuko noticed the change in his attitude. "You're awfully cheerful out of the sudden." 

"That is cause I have a new friend!" Shigure announced as if he was a preschooler who had made his first friend, and hugged Sara's shoulders. The younger woman just smiled. 

Mayuko looked at them with wide, surprised eyes. "Fujima-sensei, I'd recommend you to stay away from that guy. He's a declared pervert and a handful." 

"Mou….you're so mean Mayu-chan!" Shigure whined, pouting at Mayuko. 

Sara giggled at the scene. "I'll keep that in mind sensei." 

After they had paid their books, Shigure led Sara towards his house, chatting lively all the way there. Sara couldn't help but see him like a kid trapped in an adult's body and that made him a refreshing person to be around. They arrived to the empty house and he immediately lead her to his office-personal library. 

"There's a little problem though." He said looking at the piles of books around the place since there was no space for them on the bookshelf. "I have no idea where it is exactly. If you don't mind helping me-" 

"Incredible!" Sara whispered in awe. "So many books!" She looked like a child in a candy store. "May I look around?" She asked with pleading eyes. 

Shigure chuckled glad to see that she remained basically the same girl he remembered. "Of course. Make yourself comfortable. I'll go for some tea and snacks." He smiled when she chirped her thanks and jumped to the first pile, taking one of the books and skimming through it with great interest. 

The phone rang and he went to answer it. It was Hatori calling Yuki. "When he comes back I'll tell him you'll come to do the check up." Shigure's smiling face vanished as it turned somber. "How long did you intend keeping Sa-chan from me?" 

There was a long pause at the other side. "Where did you meet her?" 

"At Mayuko's book shop." Shigure didn't seem too happy over them keeping her as a secret from him. "Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Akito." Hatori gave him a simple answer. 

Shigure sighed, realizing that he had earned it. After all he told Akito pretty much what happened and he guessed Hatori and Ayame thought he would tell the clan's head about Sara. "I understand." Then he added. "But I won't tell him about her. It is useless to bring him any extra pain, not to mention putting her in a difficult situation." 

"Shigure-san!" Sara called out excitedly. "Found the book!" 

"Good!" Shigure smiled, cursing inwardly the timing. He could hear Hatori asking if she was there on the other side of the line. "Yes she is here. I'll try to get her to stay for dinner." He hung up after Hatori told him he'd be there by that time. He couldn't blame them for not telling him, but it still bothered him. Deciding to leave that for later, he went to the kitchen and got the tea and snacks he promised. When he returned he saw the book Sara was holding and paled. 

"Shigure-san," Sara brought up the book with the title of 'A sigh in summer color'. "I had no idea you liked this type of reading." 

Shigure sweat dropped as he knelt to set the tray down on the desk on the only spot not covered by books or papers. "Actually I wrote it." 

"Eh? You write this type of books?" Sara looked down at a pile of books of the same kind. "There's even a whole volume collection." 

Shigure laughed and brought out a book titled 'Season of Heart'. "Actually I wrote that one for fun. This is what I really write." 

"Eh!" Sara took it from him. "I haven't read this one!" 

"You read my novels?" Shigure asked not believing what seemed obvious. 

"Yes I do." Sara nodded, "I'm a fan of your novels." She brought up the one she found. "Akima, my friend is madly in love with this kind of books and you're her favorite author. She'd be here in a jiff, hugging you to death if I told her I met you." 

Shigure chuckled nervously at the thought of being hugged to death. "Then it's probably better to keep it a secret from her." 

Sara giggled agreeing with him. "Yes. Akima can very effusive when excited. Knowing her, she'd forget all about her boyfriend and convince you to go to bed with her just cause you're her favorite author." 

Shigure cat smiled. "I don't see the problem with that." 

Sara laughed, "I see Mayuko-sensei was telling the truth." 

Shigure chuckled sheepishly. "I hope I'm not scaring you away." 

"Not at all." Sara smiled warmly at him. "I usually feel uncomfortable when Akima goes into her perverted mode, but I don't seem to get uncomfortable at all with you or Hatori-san. The only one I feel dizzy with is Ayame-san." 

Shigure nodded knowing what she meant. "Only Hatori and I seem to be able to stand him. We've been together since childhood so we kind of got used to him." 

They continued to chat and Shigure told her some high school tales, from the least perverted ones till the really perverted ones, which had her laughing the whole time. She also shared a few tales from her high school days with Akima and the guys who played at the live house with her. Before they realized it, night had fallen and the house's youngsters arrived. They were surprised to see Sara there and alone with Shigure, both looking quite entertained. 

"Ah! Yuki-kun! Kyou-kun! Tohru-kun!" Shigure chirped, "You know Sara Fujima right?" 

"Yes. Fujima-sensei, are you alright?" Yuki asked concerned about them being alone. "He didn't try anything perverted on you?" Behind him stood a surprised Tohru and a suspicious looking Kyou. 

Sara just giggled at Shigure's feigned offended look and shook her head negatively. "No Sohma-kun. We were just chatting." Then she looked at her watch. "Oh my God! Didn't realize the time!" She looked at Shigure. "I've abused too much of your time!" 

Shigure grabbed her hands and leaning closer to her, changing into seductive mode making Sara giggle. "Your company has brought sunshine to my day. Would you care to be the moon in this dark night of mine? Would you stay with me tonight?" Then a book hit him hard on the side of his head sending him down to the floor and Sara looked worried at him. 

"Pervert!" Yuki yelled, and then apologized to Sara. "I'm sorry Fujima-san. That old man's head is too twisted." 

"He must have spiked her tea for her to stay close to someone like him." Kyou pointed out noticing the tray on the desk with the empty cups. 

"Mou…" Shigure pouted as he sat up. "I was only inviting her to have dinner with us." 

Sara giggled softly, reaching out to his head before she could think twice what she was doing, and rubbed gently the spot where the book had hit him. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?" 

Shigure blinked, taken aback by her sudden action, and then gave her a teary eyed look. "It hurts a lot!" He whined. "Yuki-kun is so mean! You have no idea what I have to endure with those two monsters, Sa-chan!" 

"Sa-chan?" The three youngsters chorused bewilderedly. 

"Yup!" Shigure chirped, taking Sara's hands and holding them between his. "She's my friend and new partner in mischief!" 

Sara laughed, "Don't exaggerate Gure-kun! What will they think?" 

He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them, back in his seductive mode. "That I've found my soul's lost half." Then he reverted back to his cheerful mode. "Or something perverted because believe it or not, those two have very dirty minds!" 

"Don't put us in the same category as you!" Yuki and Kyou yelled and Shigure hid behind Sara. 

"I'll go start dinner then." Tohru announced smiling at the whole scene. "You will stay right Fujima-san?" 

"Yes Honda-san, if I'm not a bother." Sara smiled warmly. 

"You'd never be a bother Sa-chan!" Shigure chirped from behind her. 

Kyou just gave him a disgusted look. "Dirty old man." He muttered as he walked away. 

Yuki noticed that Shigure was unusually happy and for what he had seen of Fujima-sensei before he believed she was the type of person who knew who to trust. –_Probably he is behaving after all. _"I'll call you two when dinner is ready then." Then he left the room sliding the shoji closed behind him. 

"They look like nice kids." Sara watched Shigure walked from behind her to the chair and sit behind the desk. "You're so lucky to live with your family" 

Shigure guessed by the small gleam of sadness in her eyes that the family subject was a hurtful one to her so decided to take her away from it. "Ne ne…" He waved at her asking her to come closer. "Can you help me out with this part?" 

Sara was surprised at his request but was immediately at his side and read quickly the lines written in black ink. "Well I have an idea but don't laugh at me if you don't like it." 

Shigure promised not to and watched her intently while she explained her idea. –_You are back…my blue sky and sunshine. _

**_***Hate it? Like it? Love it? Whichever is your pick, please review. :) -Shihori._**

**_Answers to reviewers: _**

**_K-chan: Glad you still like it! :) Yeah...the time is a bit confusing on the coming chapters as well. Basically it all happens between March and August 2003 from now on. Thank you for reading! _**

**_hopeless romantic: Thank you. :)_**


	4. Chapter 04

**_****DISCLAMER: I don't own Fruit Basket nor any of its characters. Sara Fujima and other characters not original from furuba, are obviously mine. _**

**_ This fic centers mostly around Hatori, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji, -exactly in that level of importance. The rest of the Sohma and Tohru make small appearances. If you feel it is rushed all I can say to that is "Sorry. I'm busy with university classes, so I try to keep my fics as short as possible." If there are any mistakes with the names, I was typing too fast. Mistakes with the nicknames: they are so many that I sometimes get confused. Anyways…I hope you like the story. Thank you for reading and please review. I'd like to know your opinions whether they are constructive or destructive. In other words, flames are accepted, so fire away. _**

****

**_Shihori._**

~*~*~*~*~

"It was delicious like always Tohru-kun!" Shigure complimented the young girl's cooking skills once again. 

"It's amazing Honda-san, you being so young and cooking as good as chef." Sara smiled at the brunette sitting in front of her. Yuki sat at Tohru's side, and Kyo at Sara's while Shigure sat at her right. "It took me six months of continuous practice to make edible rice when I was your age." 

Tohru sweat dropped thinking that rice wasn't that difficult to do. "Thank you Fujima-san." 

"Eh! Don't tell me you are a bad cook Sa-chan!" Shigure feigned disappointment. "And here I thought you were the perfect woman." 

"Perfect? Of course I am.." Sara giggled, knowing he was only teasing her. "Perfect cooking skills weren't given to me at that time, that's all." 

"Ah! So you are a good cook!" Shigure looked at her with teary eyes. "I'm so lucky! I've found my replacement for Tohru-kun when Yuki-kun takes her away from my side!" 

"What are you talking about you old pervert!" Kyou yelled at Shigure, while Yuki blushed while Tohru asked him what did Shigure mean. 

"Some one is jealous…" Shigure said in a singsong manner, which only got Kyou angrier. 

"Oh my…" Sara muttered moving away a bit from Kyou's side, who seemed fired up. Suddenly a loud ringing coming from Shigure's office was heard. "Excuse me!" She apologized as she stood up and quickly left the room to answer her cell phone, almost running into Hatori. "Hatori-san!" 

Hatori looked at her with wide eyes. –_That was a close call._ "Sara-san." 

"Ha-san, totally forgot about you. We already had dinner." Shigure said walking up to them. He noticed the light blush creeping to Sara's cheeks and that they were standing way too close for his liking. "Sa-chan," He smiled tapping her shoulder. "Your cell phone." 

Sara had forgotten about it since it had stopped ringing. "Ah, yes!" She exclaimed and hurried next to Hatori's side disappearing in the office. 

"Some things don't change I guess." Shigure muttered loud enough for only Hatori to hear. The doctor just gave him a questioning glance. "Are you telling me you didn't notice?" 

"What?" Hatori asked growing impatient. 

"The look on her face." Shigure crossed his arms over his chest, keeping a cool, unaffected countenance. "She's in love with you all over again." He turned around and took two steps away from him. "She may not remember, but her heart seems to remember you all to well." 

Deceiving Bonds: Chapter 4 

_"Why you say it is wrong Ha-chan?" Young Sara stared at Hatori's back with surprised eyes, her lower lip trembling lightly. She was trying her best not to break into tears right there. "Is it because of the curse? I don't care about it." _

_"It just isn't right for you to love me Sara." Hatori said not turning to look back at her. "It isn't fair." _

_"Fair?" Sara repeated getting angry out of the sudden. "Fair is the reason you are giving me! The curse is just not enough reason for you to reject me Hatori!" _

_-That's right. Back then I rejected her feelings for me. Those feelings were the beginning of her end. She was only 16 and I was 18. But it wasn't only because of the curse that I couldn't accept her. I could only see in her a close cousin, maybe a little sister. _Shigure's words had made him think back to that day. 

Sara emerged from the office smiling sheepishly and apologizing for interrupting, immediately engaging into a small chat with Shigure while he watched them. –_That was back then. And during these 10 years she had remained close in my heart as a lost relative whom I adored. _He thought, while staring at her giggle at some lame joke Shigure made. 

–_But now…she's not that girl we left behind at the beach. Although it's the same laugh, the same dressing style, the same gray eyes, she is different. _

"It's a pity I have to leave just when you arrive Hatori-san!" Sara smiled but her eyes carried a disappointed look. 

"If you can wait a moment, I can drive you home." Hatori offered, kicking himself silently. –_Now where did that come from? _

"Eh!" Shigure pretended to be offended as if the doctor had just said something perverted. "Hatori! I didn't know you were so quick!" He hugged Sara's shoulders who just giggled at his overreaction. "You're taking my recently found flower so soon from my side!" 

"Idiot." Hatori muttered rolling his eyes. 

Sara smiled at the doctor warmly. "That would be nice Hatori-san, but it will be a next time." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Akima is in the surroundings and will be waiting for me at the road." 

"Ah! Then I'll walk you out there! The woods at night can be very dangerous!" Shigure pushed her gently towards his office. "Lecherous monsters wander at night there." 

"And the main one is walking you out." Hatori muttered in his cool manner but obviously teasing his cousin. 

"Ara…" Sara whispered feigning innocence. "I hope you don't transform into one of those monsters with each full moon." 

Shigure cat smiled at her and chuckled. "Don't worry Sa-chan! It's not like you're red riding hood and I'm the big bad wolf!" Implying that she wasn't that much of a saint either. Their conversation that afternoon proved to be quite informative. Probably she wasn't that outgoing as the friend she mentioned all the time, but definitely she wasn't all that innocent. 

Once they were in the office he slid the shoji closed shunning Hatori from the rest of the conversation. The doctor just sighed and walked into the dining-living room area and greeted the youngsters. "I've come for your check up. Once again you didn't keep your promise Yuki." Hatori reprimanded the prince of Kaiwabara High. "You know these cold months can be hard on your bronchi." 

"I'm fine Hatori." Yuki leaned on the table. Kyou had left the room already. 

"Hatori-san, did you have dinner already?" Tohru asked standing up from her seating cushion. 

"Yes: I'm fine, thank you Tohru." Hatori half smiled at the girl and looked at Yuki. "Let's get the check up over with Yuki." 

Right then Sara and Shigure walked into the room. "I'm leaving." She announced and smiled at Tohru. "Thank you for the splendid dinner Honda-san." 

Tohru blushed lightly and nodded. "I'm glad you liked it." 

"See you at school Sohma-kun." Sara smiled at the violet-eyed youngster. 

"I'll escort you till the road Fujima-san. The woods are very dangerous at night." Yuki offered as he stood up, trying to escape the check up. 

"So I heard, but Gure-kun will accompany me." Sara smiled innocently, adjusting her watch's wrist. 

-_Gure-kun?_ Hatori looked quizzically at the dog who just grinned wider. 

"Even more now." Yuki glared at the cheerfully smiling novelist. "He's the most dangerous creature out there." 

"These teenagers are totally spoiled." Shigure pretended to be offended. "They have no respect for their elders anymore." 

Yuki glared at him. "It is impossible to respect an 'H' like you." 

"Ma…really it's alright Sohma-kun." Sara guessed Akima had to be waiting for her already. Her eyes drifted to her side falling upon the doctor. –_God…he looks even more handsome in that dark brown suit. _She thought, involuntarily blushing, and turned her face away immediately. "Good evening everyone." She said and walked out of the room hurriedly. 

"I'll be right back." Shigure smiled and followed her carrying the books she bought, and another three he was lending her, included the shoujo novel she found for Akima. 

"It was a good day." Shigure said as they walked down the path through the woods. 

"Yes." Sara nodded, smiling brightly at him. "I had a lot of fun. Thank you Shigure-san." She giggled. "You were right. The surprised look on their faces when I called u so casually was priceless." 

"I know it is a bit too soon," Shigure began, smiling at her but acting less hyper than before. "But I wouldn't mind if you continued to call me like that. I'd like to continue calling you Sa-chan." 

Sara considered it for a while and smiled brightly at him. "I guess that after all the stories we shared today it would be ridiculous to go back to such formal ways, ne?" 

"I agree." Shigure nodded, smiling warmly at her. He watched her from the tail of his eye, and decided to ask about what had been bothering him. "Can I ask you a personal question?" 

Sara was taken aback by the sudden seriousness of his voice. "Yeah. Ask away." She muttered, looking back to her front clasping her hands behind her. 

"I noticed the way you were looking at Hatori when he arrived." Shigure's expression was overly serious, and somewhat dark, but it couldn't be seen clearly in the darkness of the woods. Although the full moon was up high, that part of the path was quite dark. "Do you like him?" 

Sara stopped abruptly, looking down to her blue suede shoes, hiding her face behind a curtain of raven locks. "What you'd say if I say no?" 

"I'd think you are lying but wouldn't say anything." He answered, knowing that the answer to his question was affirmative. 

"I don't like him." Sara muttered. "You might think I'm exaggerating but…since I feel comfortable with you, I'll tell you I" She raised her head and smiled at him brightly. "Love him." She began walking again, not wanting to study his face and see if he was surprised or anything over her confession. "Probably it is love at first sight, and it must sound silly coming from someone my age, believing in that and all." Then she stopped walking standing on a spot lit by the moon. "Sometimes I feel like I know him from before. Maybe a past life or something of that sort." 

"Either way," She turned around, her hair flowing behind her, her feelings showing through on her pale face. "I am sure I love him." 

"Maybe you've fallen for an impossible Sara." Shigure said in a soft tone, but his face features were hard and darkened. 

"Is he married or has a girlfriend?" Sara asked, looking calm at his words. She wished Shigure would step out of the dark because it made her uneasy only to make out the outline of his upper figure. 

"He was going to get married three years ago." Shigure began hoping that what he was about to tell her would make her give up on his cousin. "But Akito, the clan's head, didn't approve of it. Hatori's left eye was hurt and Kana, -that was her name, blamed herself for it. She became very ill, and in some point she forgot about her relationship with Hatori." He modified the truth a little bit since he couldn't tell her about Hatori's ability. "Hatori let go of her, his first and only love." He sighed and walked towards her, letting himself be seen again. "I don't want to discourage you," He said smiling gently at her. "But I don't want to see you hurt for being rejected." –_Again. _

Sara smiled and leaned over, kissing his cheek. "Thank you for worrying for me Gure-kun." Shigure just stared at her in surprise. "But I am a big girl. I can handle a rejection, but I can't let myself give up without trying first." She turned around and continued walking. "Ma…Akima must be spitting fire by now!" 

Shigure brought a hand to the cheek she kissed, staring tenderly at her form which grew farther with each step. –_Even if it hurts me,_ He thought as he caught up with her. –_I sincerely hope you can melt the ice in Hatori's heart. If this time the two of you can have a happy ending,_ He felt as if a knot was forming in his throat as the need to hug her or at least caress her hair, which flowed at her back with the soft night breeze, became too much to bare. –_I don't mind making myself aside again. _

_Young Shigure smiled at his cousin after she kissed his cheek, looking bright as a newborn morning. "Good luck!" He chirped as he watched Sara run out of the bedroom. Once she was gone, he dropped himself back on the mattress covering his eyes with his forearm. "I'm such an idiot." _

-_I wasn't able to protect you back then. I was a real idiot to let a 12 years old kid control me the way he did back then._ Shigure watched her run out towards a red, mustang with the folding hood down, -a petite woman greeting her with tears and hugging her tightly. –_But I swear it won't happen again Sa-chan. If he doesn't protect you, I will. _He neared them slowly, listening clearly to their conversation. 

"You dumb girl!" Akima cried out crying her eyes out. "I was so worried! You looked so bad this morning and left the apartment without leaving a note or calling me! When I saw you didn't come back before 6 I thought you had suffered a crisis or something and you were left to the mercy of strangers! They are so unexpected and I was so worried I call hospitals and I –I-" 

"I'm fine Akima." Sara insisted for tenth time now, pushing the woman away from her. "As you can see nothing of that happened to me." She hoped Shigure didn't hear Akima, but that was a long shot considering how loud the woman was. 

"Are you ill Sa-chan?" Shigure asked looking very worried as he walked closer. "You do look pale in comparison to your healthy color back at the beach. I hadn't noticed." 

"Who are you?" Akima looked at him suspiciously hugging Sara again. "And why you call her 'Sa-chan'?" She said in a mocking tone. "Why are you being so casual with MY Sa-chan?" 

-_Argh… she's on leech mode today! Sara thought annoyed at being hugged so tightly by her. "Shigure Sohma. He's a friend so calm down Akima." _

"Eh…Shigure Sohma, huh?" Akima let go of Sara and began studying the Jyunishi dog from head to feet. 

Sara sighed, looking very exhausted out of the sudden. "This is Akima Reishi." She gave her an annoyed look. "Akima stop doing that!" 

Akima ignored her, taking out a notepad from her tight skirt's pocket and began jotting down something. "Age?" She asked looking up to Shigure who looked confused at the woman. 

"28." He answered in a monotone voice feeling just like a patient at a doctor's office. 

"Profession?" She asked after jotting down his age. 

"Novelist." He peaked over her notebook and saw the title 'marriage prospect' over his name. He asked curiously. "Is it a long list?" 

"So far I've found ten suitable men to be Sa-chan's husbands." Akima announced proudly, grinning widely. Then she cocked her head to a side blinking. "But so far you're the most handsome one in my list." She clasped her eyes and her eyes turned into stars. "You'd make a perfect father for my future nephews!" 

Shigure just chuckled at her words. –_It wouldn't be that bad if I just had an opportunity_. 

"Oi!" Sara stared angrily at Akima. "Stop babbling nonsense!" 

Akima glared at Sara. "Deal with it! I haven't forgiven you for making me so worried." Sara just sighed and her shoulders slumped. 

"Is there something wrong with your health Sara?" Shigure asked looking worried again as he stepped closer to her. 

Sara managed to put a smile on her face. "I just had a light headache this morning but Akima makes a big deal out of everything." 

"I see." Shigure smiled, placing the books at the back seat, not wanting to let her go but she did look pale now, he realized now that the health subject was up, and preferred to have her leave and rest. "Please do take care of yourself." 

"I will." She smiled warmly at him and then whispered close to his ear so Akima wouldn't hear. The other woman was too busy jotting down on her notebook to notice their closeness. "Don't tell Hatori-san about our conversation please." 

Shigure smiled, hiding the mix of feelings that flowed in his eyes behind the eyelids. "I won't." 

"Thank you." Sara smiled. "See you around." She walked around the car to the driver's side. "Akima, let's go!" 

"Hai!" Akima chirped and pranced to the car, throwing the keys to Sara who caught them easily and started the car. "Feel free to visit whenever you want Shigure-kun!" She beamed at him, handing him a note and getting into the car ignoring the daggers coming from Sara. "Ja-bye bye!" 

"Bye." Shigure waved at them, but his eyes were on Sara who just smiled at him before pulling back into the road. He watched the car disappear, and then he looked down at the piece of paper Akima gave him with their address. "Marriage prospect huh?" Plastering a smile on his face, he put the note inside his sleeve and walked back to his house, silently cursing himself for being less selfish when it came to her. 

He met with Hatori leaving when he arrived to the house's door. "Leaving already?" 

"It has been a long day." Hatori muttered bringing a cigarette to his lips. 

Shigure brought out a lighter immediately and lit it for the doctor. "I've confirmed it." 

"Confirmed what?" Hatori asked impatiently, hating each time the dog spoke in his cryptic language. 

"That she is in love with you all over again." Shigure's eyes turned stern while looking up to the taller man. "Are you going to erase her memory again so she can forget about those feelings again?" 

Hatori glared down at him, his long bangs covering half of the face. "You know Akito is the only one who can give the order." He answered in a calm manner but there was a hint of anger in his words. 

Shigure smiled broadly at him. "Yes, of course. But since we're keeping this a secret from Akito, what will you do?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "She also said that for some strange reason she felt she knew you from before, maybe from a past life of some sort." A smirk brought a corner of his lips up. "She has no idea of how right she's about that." 

"Then I guess," Hatori began, "it is best to stay away from her." He looked sternly at the novelist. "That means you and Ayame as well." 

"With Ayame it will be difficult since her friend is a regular customer at his shop or so Sara mentioned." Shigure smiled, "And I'm not going to step away from her. I never agreed with what you and Akito did to her." 

"But you went along with it." Hatori pointed out bitterly, annoyed that he was being blamed for something he didn't want to do either. 

"Was there another choice?" was Shigure's comeback. 

"Did I have another choice?" Hatori answered with another question. 

Shigure smiled and shook his head. "You're right." He sighed and turned to his face to a side. "Sara…she is still the most important to me." 

Hatori's eyes didn't lose the stern look. "Wasn't it yourself?" 

"Ara… I've made you angry." Shigure chuckled but as soon as it began it finished. "I guess I can't fool you my old friend." 

"You said you'd do anything to keep your oath." Hatori muttered, "Do you really think it is the best to pull Sara back into this? If you keep her close, no matter what, she'll find out sooner or later about the curse, and if you keep on with your plans, she'll find out like everybody else your true face. Can you handle her rejection?" 

"That is a big price to pay, but I will afford it." Shigure's eyes were dark and his smile gave a mischievous gleam to his face. "I will make our dream, my dream eternal, no matter what." He smirked. "Back then, you told me that you wouldn't be by my side when the moment came, that as an enemy, you'd turn your back on it as well…" He turned his face back to Hatori not looking too friendly. "Even if you say it, you can't step away from Sara, because I've noticed the way you were looking at her earlier. And I can't blame you. Even I would fall for someone like her." –_For someone like her I could give up my dream, but I am unworthy of her._ He stepped towards the door, stopping at the doctor's side. "Hatori…if you hurt her again, it will be I who becomes your enemy." Suddenly he shifted to cheerful mode and patted Hatori's shoulder. "Good night Ha-san!" And walked back into the house. 

_-It doesn't really matter if stepping away from her makes you my enemy. Sooner or later we will take different paths._ Hatori thought as he began walking away from the house. –_I cannot risk again her happiness just because you can't let go of her. But… _ He looked up to the moon which was being covered by some dark clouds. –_Can I let go of her? Would she forgive me? Would I forgive myself, if I brought her back into this hell? _

° 

"Mou…really Sara, you're an ungrateful brat." Akima pouted. They were sitting at a round fountain in the middle of a plaza. The moon was already falling to a side. "I was just worried about you!" 

"Yes but you made him suspicious of my health with your loud babbling." Sara's tone held anger. "I don't want anybody else to know of my state. I just can't handle anymore pity." 

"Anymore?" Akima stared up to the taller woman's back. She was sitting on the fountain's border while Sara stood on it facing away from her. "Are you saying I'm pitying you?" 

"Are you not?" was Sara's retort. Akima jumped on her feet and without previous warning, she pushed Sara into the fountain. "What did you do that for?" yelled Sara, the water covering her up to her hips. 

"You were saying stupid things so I thought you needed a wake up call!" Akima yelled back, but then her eyes softened. "How can you think I pity you Sara? You're like a sister to me for Christ's sake! It is killing me the idea of losing you! I don't want you to be gone at such young age! You haven't lived at all…it's not fair…it's not fair!" She screamed and fell to her knees, leaning on the stone wall to hide her face and the tears flowing freely from her eyes. 

Sara moved to the wall, kneeling in front of Akima and rested her head over hers. "I'm sorry…" She whispered as she wrapped her wet arms around the smaller woman's shoulders. "I've been thinking only of myself. How selfish can I get? I just can't be sad. I can't afford being depressed. I don't want others to look at me with sorrowful eyes. No matter how many times I think about it…tears just won't come." 

_"A shooting star!" Sara exclaimed in awe while staring at the flying star. _

_"Ne…make a wish Sa-chan." The person sitting behind her, leaning on her back said. The distinctive smell of cigarette smoke in the air. _

_"My only wish is to always be like this." Sara smiled brightly up to the starry sky, -the sound of waves reaching the shore and retreating in the background. _

_"You're not supposed to say your wish Sa-chan or it won't become true!" Platinum longs flowing with the sea breeze at her right side. _

_Sara giggled, "What are you saying? Haven't we been together for the longest time? That's how we will stay always." She turned her head to her left. "Right?" A pearl white smile, and her heart began beating faster. She smiled warmly at him. "There's nothing to worry about, right?" _

A dark smile took over her lips. "Death just doesn't scare me anymore." –_I am more scared of being left alone…again._

° 

Hatori looked down to the seat next to him, -a wrapped up present sat there. He took it and placed it under the seat before stepping out of the car and locking it. –Now why am I here? He thought looking up to the apartment building. 

_"We planned a surprise party for her, but she didn't come." Momiji whined. _

_"A teacher came and said that she had a cold." Haru commented. "She didn't look well yesterday by the way." _

_"What a bad way to spend a birthday." Momiji suddenly brightened up. "I know! Let's go visit her!" _

_"No way. Knowing you, you'll catch the cold from her." Hatori pointed out sitting at his desk. _

_"Then you go." Haru suggested. _

_"Why should I?" Hatori gave the youngsters a bored look. _

_"Yes Harii! You're a doctor! Go check up on her!" Momiji bounced to Hatori's side. _

_-I could have continued to refuse. _Hatori thought as he walked into the lobby. "Good afternoon. I'm looking for Sara Fujima. Could you tell me where's her apartment?" 

"Ah…you come to the party." The security guard smiled. "What a lively group!" 

-Party? Hatori wondered if he should turn around and leave. 

"They began partying at midnight and it's not time yet that they finish partying." The guard chuckled, "It's so good to be young and free." He was in his early fifties. "I would call to announce you but I doubt they'd answer the intercom. Take the elevator, fifth floor; turn to your left when you step out. It is apartment A, all the way down the hall." 

"Thank you." Hatori turned and took the elevator. Once in the fifth floor he followed the instructions he was given. He stood in front of the door and he could hear noise coming from inside. "I really should leave." He said his thoughts out loud. 

Suddenly the door opened, and Akima stepped out with her head turned over her shoulder. "Yes! I'll go for more sake!" She didn't notice the man standing in front of her. He saw it coming but it was too late for him to step aside. A cloud of smoke covered them as the transformation took place. "Eh? What's all this smoke?" The petite woman wondered while she watched the smoke dissipate. 

"Akima, where are you going?" Sara came quickly to her. She was wearing a white, metal button blouse, and black shorts, and her hair was loose. "You're drunk! You can't drive!" She grabbed the keys from Akima's hand and turned her into the apartment. "Mou! Why don't you all go to sleep off all that liqueur!" She began preaching but then she felt something odd on the floor. Looking down she saw a heap of clothes. "What are these doing here?" She crouched and began picking them up when she saw something move under the shirt. 

Being the curious person she is, -she'd make a perfect cat, she lifted the dark blue shirt and found- "Seahorse?" She said out loud staring at the little thing that seemed to be looking up to her as well. "Who did this to you?" She said tenderly as she lifted the clothes with it on top and carried it back inside. "Ara…but I don't have sea water here. I hope you don't die on me!" She set the pair of black shoes at the entrance before walking towards her chambers. 

"Sara-chan!" A very drunk looking man came to her, reaching out to hold her. "Why don't you come and sing with us?" 

Sara turned quickly and glared at the man. "If you dare to touch me again you old fool I swear you'll wish you had never met me in your life!" With that the man around his 40's was sent sulking to a corner. 

"Maa….Sara-chan…you don't need to be so aggressive." Ayame came up to her and set his hand on her shoulders. He was able to see what she was carrying. –_Seahorse?_ He focused better on it, which was trying to send eye messages to the snake. –_How strange_. The silver haired man laughed out loud. "Why don't you join us Sara-chan? This party is for you after all!" 

"Ayame-san, you should leave as well. Sake seems to have reached your head already. Did you forget I didn't ask for a party?" Sara muttered as she stepped away from him, leaving the noise behind her as she walked into her chambers. She crossed on room and walked into another which seemed the bedroom, and finally reached the bathroom. She set the clothes over a hamper and carried the seahorse on her hand carefully. Sitting on the bathtub's border, she tested the water. "It is warm. I hope it doesn't kills you little frie-" 

It happened in half a second. The transformation wore off. Hatori fell on Sara, and Sara fell into the bathtub taking him down as well. Sara's eyes were wide while staring up to a pair of all too familiar blue eyes, -they looked extremely sad. Unconsciously she brought her wet hands up to his face. "Did they spike my tea?" She blurted. "No.. but I didn't take my eyes off it so they couldn't ha-" 

"Sara-san." Hatori spoke up quieting her immediately. "It's difficult to explain but probably we should get out of the tub first." 

Sara came back to her senses and noticed the closeness of their bodies. He was keeping himself away from her by supporting his upper body on his hands. Then it hit her. "You're naked!" She yelled, blushing deeply crimson and immediately struggling to get up, but she pushed his left arm, making him lose balance and fall on her again. 

Smoke covered them again and once it dissipated, Sara saw the seahorse floating between her calves. "Hatori-san?" She whispered as she sat up, making waves in the water that sent him against her leg. She giggled, not noticing what looked like a blush line on the tiny creature's nose. "That tickles!" And moved to the tub's border, keeping her feet in the water. "Amazing…" She muttered watching him float around. "Isn't the water too warm?" There was no response and she laughed. "Silly me…" 

Again he transformed to normal, he was kneeling on the white ceramic tub, leaning on his arms and looking down. "I knew it was a bad idea to come." He muttered to himself angrily. 

"I'm glad you did." Sara whispered, making him look up, and smiled warmly at him. She turned around on the border, stepping out of the tub. "Your clothes are on the hamper." She said before leaving the bathroom. 

Hatori watched the door slide closed. Once alone he brought his hand to his face, pressing it hard over his eyes. "This can't be happening." 

Outside the door, Sara stared at the floor, tears threatening to flow out. She brought a hand to her mouth to stifle a cry and stepped out of the bedroom quickly, closing the door that joined the bedroom and the studio behind her. She fell to her knees and hugged herself. "I mustn't cry." She whispered to herself, trying to control herself. "He'll take it the wrong way if he sees me." Soon she had stopped heaving and the tears had begun to dry in her eyes. 

Hatori walked out of the bathroom fully clothed and a towel on his neck. He noticed the futon lying in the middle of the room and to a corner there was a bureau with a mirror, and a tall wood closet. He sighed, knowing he couldn't delay his explanation any longer and crossed the room to the other door. He held the door, hesitant to open it. –_Should I erase her memory? I can't tell Akito otherwise things could become ugly. She doesn't remember anything of him and I'm sure he would request her presence and tell her who she is only to order me to erase her memory again. _

A flashback came to his mind, -his hand over a girl's face, the girl lying on a bed, her free hand trying to reach him. 

_-Can I really do that to her again? _The doctor wondered with a pained look on his face. 

_-No…back then she was someone else. This is Sara Fujima, an outsider to the family's secret, and… _Sara's smiling face came up to his mind out of the sudden, and he felt his heart skip a beat painfully. –_Even if I'm attracted to her…I have no right…no right to pull her into this hell again. She deserves to be happy… _

An image of 16 years old Sara with tears staining her face, came back to him. _–Back then I couldn't appreciate her feelings. I believed them to be a simple crush. I was so cruel to her. _

"No matter if you take them from me!" The girl screamed against his hand, -hers trying to touch his face. "My feelings for you!" Her tears wet his palm. "My feelings for you won't change Hato-"

Hatori brought his hand away from the door covering his right eye with it. "This time…" He whispered, "It truly is….for your own good…Sara." 

Sara brought her head up after hearing the door slide open behind her. She would have turned around and smiled at him, reassured him that it was alright, but she was frozen on the spot. She heard him walk closer and then his feet became visible, and his knees when he knelt in front of her. Then she forced herself to push her head back a little, not realizing she had it bowed the whole time. For first time, the word that first came up to her mind when staring at his blue eyes was ice. 

"What I am going to tell you, you might not believe, but you've seen proof of my words already." Hatori began, noticing how pale her face was. He didn't remember it to be that pale. "My family has been cursed for a pair of hundred years or so. I am part of the cursed members. Whenever we get nervous, ill, or hugged by the opposite sex, we transform" He didn't want to go into more details of the curse. There was no reason to do so since he was determined to do what was necessary to keep her away, this time forever. "No outsider that has found out of our secret has been able to keep it in their minds for long." He lied since there was an exception to the rule. "I have the ability to-" 

"Back in there," Sara interrupted him. "You said it was a bad idea to come." Her gray eyes looked at him warmly and pleading. "But I am….I am really happy you came. I don't know nor I care about the curse over you and your family. I really mean it!" She said bringing her fists to her chest as she repeated with deep emotions. "I am glad you came! Until a while ago I was hating this birthday completely but the minute I saw you my heart leaped and I-" 

She caught on her words, taking in his surprised look. –_Normally I wouldn't be like this…I would never say this to a man…but…_"I realized that whenever I see you my day becomes even brighter." She said softly, a small smile forming on her lips as her eyes stared into his expressing her feelings on their own. "I know…I know we don't know each other at all. We've barely spoken a few times. But somehow….before I could stop it…I fell in love with you. Don't ask me why nor how….love can't be explained." Then she looked up to him alarmed. "And please don't tell me I'm mistaken! I know well what I feel. I could swear I've been in love with you always…" 

She brought a hand to her head, ignoring the wetness of it, as her eyes drifted away from his and a deep blush crept to her cheeks. A sad shadow took over her face. "If I only had my memories…probably I met you before…maybe I saw you before and fell for you. Love at first sight is what people call it?" She shook her head lightly. "Maybe that's why I've always felt like this when I'm around you…as if I knew you from before I lost my memory." She sighed and smiled softly at him. "Maybe I'm wrong about that, because if you knew me before last summer, you would have told me right? So this feeling of knowing you must be only a trick my mind is playing me." 

"But my feelings of love for you… the ones I feel right now," She whispered reaching out to touch the left side of his face. "They are-" 

Hatori held her hand taking it away from his face. "I'm sorry Sara-san, but your feelings," 

-_This is probably the greatest lie._ He closed his eyes as he said, "I can't correspond them." 

He expected to hear her cry, to pull her hand away from his grip or ask him to leave her chambers immediately. Nothing of that happened and he opened his eyes only to see a warm smile on her lips, gentleness in her eyes, and a calm aura around her face. –_You have…_ He recalled her young teary face. –_Grown up._

"I didn't expect you to have any feelings for me Hatori-san." Sara said softly, trying to engrave in her memory his warm and gentle grip around her hand. "Shigure-kun. He told me about your lost love. And I know I can't even dream of holding the smallest piece of your heart next to mine." An image came up to her mind, -she's sitting in front of a doctor looking sympathetically at her. "I'd be too selfish if I even tried aspiring for a little bit of your caring." -_Sympathy._ She thought as she recognized the all too familiar feeling clearly showing on his face. –_Am I that pathetic?_ She pulled her hand out of his. "That is why, Hatori-san, I don't want you to pay heed to my words. My feelings, and all that happened before, don't really matter. So please, don't say you're sorry…ever again." 

_-I am hurting her._ He watched her bow her head, laying her hands on her bare lap. –_It is true no one can replace Kana, but you have, without noticing, established yourself in my heart._ "I cannot leave behind the fact that you know my family's secret. I really wish I could but I must do this for your own good." He took her right hand on his left making her look up. He could swear there was fear in her gray orbs. "Besides transforming into a seahorse, I have the ability to erase memories." He felt her tense up. "It is only hypnosis so it won't harm you. I will take any memories of this day, of Shigure and Ayame. Our paths can't meet again." –_Keeping Momiji and Haru quiet will be a problem but I'll find a way._

"You …do you must do this?" She whispered, trying to keep her voice even. His nod was enough answer. –_Forget…_

"We'll try to remove it, but we must wait till the medicine reduces its size. This kind of surgery is very dangerous Fujima-san. The possibility of you not surviving it is great. "

Hatori leaned closer to her, bringing her face up by the chin. "I know you asked me not to say I'm sorry…" He said softly looking down at her gently. "But I must say I am for not being able to give you a choice on this decision." –_I can't let you suffer even more. _He covered her eyes with his right hand. "If it wasn't for this curse…" He felt he had to tell her how he felt at least this once. "I would be more than honored to accept your feelings. I must say I'd feel overjoyed if I could only accept this second chance. But…being with me, forcing you into this cursed life, would be too selfish of me. Good bye" He could feel her tears under his hand. A single tear fell on his hand over her face as he whispered her name with love. "Sara…" 

Sara pulled his hand off her face, entwining her fingers between his, before he could release the hypnotic light. Bringing her right knee forward for balance, she leaned closer to him, keeping their hands down to the sides, and kissed his lips with tenderness. As she pulled back, she stared into his eyes with great determination. "My memories," She began, "I lost all my memories. All I remember is waking up in a hospital bed with a wound on my back and Grandpa, someone I didn't remember, sitting next to me on a chair. My memories are the most important to me. And even though YOUR secret is part of MY memories now, I can't let you…I won't allow you to tamper with them. Even if I love you…because I love you I can't let you erase your image from my memory. I know it would be useless because you can't erase yourself from my heart. That's why…my selfishness" She whispered the last words, looking down. "I ask you to forgive it." 

_-She is…_ He recalled her smiling face. –_That sight is something I can't repel._ "In that case," Hatori whispered, letting go of her right hand to bring her face up as he leaned over her. He pulled her left forearm as he brought his right to his chest, using them as a limit line between their chests. His voice was as smooth as silk as he whispered, "You'll have to forgive mine as well." 

She was not a child anymore at his eyes, and her feelings were much more than a teen-age crush, and he realized that as she kissed him with the same intensity, the same longing, as he kissed her. His hand on her face traveled down to her neck, enjoying the softness of her skin. He felt her hand settle gently over his cheek, making aside the long bangs that covered his left eye. 

Suddenly the main door opened. "Sara-chan I-" Ayame began but froze when he saw them break their kiss abruptly, due to his intrusion. The snake, being himself, began laughing and said loudly, "AH! Sara-chan you naughty girl! How did you get this man in here! Oh my! You did it in the bathroom!" He said noticing her wet clothes and his wet hair. 

They immediately let go of each other and put some distance between themselves. A loud stomping followed Ayame's words and soon there were about ten more persons standing behind him, peeking inside. 

"I can't believe I lost my beautiful Sara-chan!" cried out three men in unison. 

"Since when I belonged to any of you, you old drunk geezers!" Sara cried out, blushing furiously. "Ma! Go home already!" 

"Let me see!" Akima yelled as she squeezed her way through the mob of people at the door. Once she was inside the room she gasped and pointed an accusing finger at Hatori. "It's the guy who didn't like my outfit!" 

"Ne..ne…which outfit Akima?" asked a woman looking equally drunk as Akima. 

"The one I modeled for you guys earlier." Akima said with tears in her eyes. There was a general gasp followed by deep silence in the room. Hatori and Sara just sweat dropped. 

"But Aki-chan," Ayame spoke up, a sexy grin on his lips. "I can assure you my cousin here fills all the requirements to be Sara-chan's other half." 

"Ayame…" Hatori gave him a murderous glare which the snake ignored boldly. 

Akima looked up to Ayame with great interest. "Is that so?" She brought out her notepad and pencil from nowhere. "Name." 

"Hatori Sohma." Ayame answered. 

"Age." Akima jotted down. 

"28." He looked over Akima's shoulder and began answering the questions listed there. "Doctor. Only one girlfriend." He grinned even more at the next question which he answered at Akima's ear. 

Akima blushed and began giggling. "Ah! You're so lucky Sa-chan!" Then she grinned and pointed at her wet clothes and his wet hair. "But you know that already don't you." 

"Ayame stop the nonsense!" Hatori said sternly and then noticed the gloomy aura around Sara as she chanted her 'I'm so embarrassed-earth engulf me please' mantra. 

"Anyways!" Akima said in a loud voice, turning around to the people at the door. "All those who were here as Sara's husbands-to-be must leave! I've found my perfect brother-in-law!" There was a lot of sighing and cursing but the door was cleared until only the four guys from the live house band were left at the door. "Isn't this a perfect birthday?" 

"It would have been perfect if A-chan hadn't appeared." Sara muttered to herself, sighing. 

Hatori looked at her and repeated in a low tone. "A-chan?" –_That's how she used to call Ayame…but why if until earlier it was Ayame-san? _

"I know we began with the left foot Hatori-kun!" Akima beamed brightly at the doctor kneeling close to Sara. "But let's be friends from now on!" Then she jumped towards him. "Welcome to the fam-" 

Sara caught her in mid-flight before she could hug him and dragged her towards the adjacent room. Tears came out of Akima's big eyes as she complained. "What did I do now? I was only going to give him a friendly hug! I swear I wasn't going to touch anything that belongs to you!" She was pulled into the room and watched in fear as Sara closed the door behind her. 

"Ara…poor Akima." Rei muttered as she wrapped her arm around Takago. 

"She should know by now how easily Sara gets angry. She can be very scary" Yami commented as she took Yoshi's, Sara's ex-boyfriend, hand. 

"I don't see what Sara could have seen in that guy." Yoshi said his thoughts out loud. 

"You aren't jealous are you?" Yami glared at him, and grabbed him by the neck. "You better not be." Yoshi just shook his head in fear. 

"You are scarier Yami." Rei and Takago pointed out as they grabbed her and pulled them away from the door. "Come on! There's a lot to drink, and a new reason to celebrate!" 

Once they were gone, Ayame closed the door behind him and pranced towards Hatori who stood up. "You finally came around Tori-san!" He chirped and wrapped his arms around Hatori's neck. "10 years to be exact, but who's counting!" 

Hatori sighed, giving him a bored look. "What are you so happy about? Don't you see what this mean?" 

Ayame blinked and thought about it before answering as he let go of his taller cousin. "It means you've finally thought about your own happiness." 

"What about hers?" Hatori muttered, "When Akito finds out-" 

"When he finds out," Ayame said with a stern look on his face. "You will be there for her, and Shigure and I will be there for you two. Both of you…" He smiled. "Both of you deserve to be happy and what better way than together." Then he whispered. "Besides, it wouldn't go against the Sohma rules. It all stays in family." 

Hatori smirked, amazed at Ayame's simplicity. "You take things so lightly. She knows of the curse. And the day Akito finds out, she'll know what I did to her." 

"I realize the seriousness of what you say." Ayame said, keeping his voice low just like Hatori. "But if she hasn't run away, knowing about the curse, she won't run away later on." 

A pained look took over the doctor's eyes. "Kana-" 

"Sara is not Kana." Ayame smiled warmly, "She'll throw a tantrum, she'll glare at you, she might even hit you." He chuckled at the later. "But Sa-chan is Sa-chan. She is strong and won't break that easily." 

"You're so mean!" Akima shouted right before opening the door and stepping into the studio crying. "Aya-kun! I don't have a friend, I have a torturer!" 

"Ara…" Ayame patted the small woman's head. "It can't be that bad." 

"She said I can't hug him!" She bawled, "She thinks I'll steal him from her!" 

"Never said that." Sara pointed out walking out of the room toweling her hair dry. 

Akima continued bawling. "She likes to torture me!" 

"You're the one torturing me!" Sara sighed as she walked up to Hatori and handed him his red tie, slightly blushing, not looking up to him. He only took it and smiled down at her. 

"She thinks I'm going to take him to bed and BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!" Akima cried out, her tears flowing freely. Ayame just giggled at her words knowing that would be as close to impossible. 

Sara dropped the towel and brought her hands to her face. "Akima!" She growled. 

Ryota opened the door and smiled. "It seems I arrived on time." He looked apologetically at Sara. "I'm sorry Sara-chan. Did she give you too much trouble?" 

"Ryo-kun, take her away before I choke her to death." Sara said simply not taking her hands away from her face. 

"Aki-chan, I told you not to be mean to your friend, moreover on her birthday." Ryota said in a soft tone. "And it's already 4 in the afternoon Akima. How long will you party on her behalf?" 

Akima sniffled, taking Ayame's hand and glared at Sara. "As long as it is necessary!" She dragged Ayame behind her, -he only waved at Hatori and Sara, and left the room. 

Ryota walked up to Sara and placed his hands on Sara's head. "Are you alright?" Sara only nodded. "Sorry for coming too late but my obligations didn't allow me to come sooner. Happy birthday my dear niece." 

Sara giggled, bringing her face up, smiling. "It had been long since you called me that." 

"What do you want for this birthday?" He asked letting go of her. "A new brain for Akima doesn't count." 

Sara laughed, looking less stressed. "You know me all to well Ryo-kun." 

"Well, when you know what you want, just tell me." He grabbed her shoulders and ushered her towards the bedroom. "Now go change those wet clothes." 

"Okay okay…" She smiled and turned to Hatori. "Please don't leave Hatori-san." 

"I won't." Hatori assured her with a smile. "I'm taking you out for dinner tonight." Sara's face brightened up with those words and she was gone in a jiff. 

"Sohma-san." Ryota turned to him, looking seriously at him. He was probably 35 years old although he looked rather young. "Sara isn't blood related to me." 

"I know." Hatori answered in the same solemn tone as the other man. 

"I love her as a little sister though and I don't want to ever see her hurt again." Ryota continued, giving the younger man a warning in his own way. "When I met her she had the most lifeless eyes I had ever seen. Father never explained why he took her under his care as his granddaughter, nor I really care." He stepped closer to him, his eyes taking a dangerous look. "I know who she is." Hatori's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't know why your family left her behind, but Hatori-san…" He put his hand on Hatori's shoulder heavily. "Sara must be happy for as long as it is possible, so I trust her to you." 

Hatori didn't understand very well the man's words, but he was sure of something, he wanted to make Sara happy just like everyone else wanted her to be. He wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his word, but he would definitely do his best to keep her from harm. "I will take care of her. Thank you for trusting her to me." 

Ryota smiled, pleased to hear those words. "Good." Then he turned towards the door but before leaving he looked back at the doctor. "Probably it is too soon to say this but I'll say it anyways." He gave him a welcoming smile. "Welcome to our little, crazy family." 

Hatori smiled and bowed lightly. "Thank you." 

With that Ryota left. Hatori did his tie, buttoned up his dark gray jacket and smothered his hair. He then noticed several picture frames sitting over a low bookshelf. There were pictures of her friends, Akima and Ryota, and a picture of old Fujima with Sara, dressed in a blue uniform. He was about to reach for that frame when he heard the door slide open. 

He saw Sara standing nervously under the doorframe. 

She had chosen a green dress that ended over her knees. It had low shoulders and long, bell-like sleeves, and a green lace triangle at the middle of the chest. Her long wavy locks were pulled up on a ponytail and the ends fell over her shoulders. On one hand she carried a pair of white string sandals and the other held a small white purse. She had applied a little make up to liven up her pale face. 

"Hatori-san, I just want to make things clear." She finally said, gathering up her courage. "I don't want you to feel obliged to do this. Like I said earlier, it is alright if you don't feel anything for me, but I don't want you to give me any hopes if it truly is impossible to reach you." 

Hatori walked up to her and lifted her chin up to him. He is a lot taller than she is so her head was pushed back almost all the way. "I am within your reach Sara." He said looking down at her blushed face, dropping the respect title on purpose. "I don't feel for you the way you do for me." He smiled gently at the look of disappointment on her eyes. "But I have in a way fallen for you as well. Ever since that day you told me to leave the beach or I'd be in trouble." 

Sara smiled lovingly at him. "I'm glad because I wouldn't be able to stand a one sided relationship." 

"It's not." He whispered, caressing her cheek. –_Although I know this is very risky, I can't let go of her or the feelings that arise in me when she is close._ He recalled Kana's smiling face. –_Somehow, these feelings are different from what I felt for Kana._ Then he remembered Sara's smiling face when younger. –_This girl has always had the power to wrap all three of us around her finger. _

He watched her walk in front of him at the hallway. The party scene greeted them. Only Ryota and Ayame noticed them come out and waved them good-bye. Once they put on their shoes, they left the noisy apartment. They walked down the quiet hallway keeping some distance from each other. 

"By the way," Hatori began, remembering why he had come in the first place. "Didn't you have a cold?" 

Sara was taken aback for a moment and then giggled nervously. "I wasn't feeling well yesterday so my doctor recommended that I spent a day home and rest. It was a strong headache." She kept the details to herself. "I would have gone to school if Akima hadn't planned that surprise party." 

"Must be troublesome to live with someone like her." He pressed the elevator's button. 

"Actually it is troublesome when Akima is around other persons that aren't Ryo-kun and I." Sara clasped her hands behind her while looking at the numbers over the elevator's doors. 

"She likes to everybody's attention on her, but she's not a bad person, just a bit crazy. And she has only a fourth of a brain, but the biggest heart I've met." 

The doors opened and they stepped inside. He pressed the button that would take them to the lobby. "It's the same with Ayame." He muttered, standing next to her. 

"Eto…" Sara muttered, uncertain if she should ask or not. 

"What is it?" Hatori asked, looking down at her. 

She smiled and shook her head. "Nothing Hatori-san." 

"You can call me Hatori." He said, taking her hand in his. "I hope you don't mind Sara." 

-In a normal relationship this would be too fast. But in my case…Sara looked down at their hands together and smiled up at him gently. "Not at all. It makes me very happy." 

-_As long as I can… _The elevator's doors opened and they walked out, hand in hand all the way till the car. He opened the car's door for her like every gentleman should and then went around the car, getting inside. –_I will make you happy. _He watched her from the tail of his eye as he drove enjoying the bright look on her face. –_This time surely I won't let go of you. For my sake, for your sake I will not let go of these feelings. _On a red light stop, he took her hand, startling her for a moment, but immediately she smiled at him making him feel alive. _ –She was my spring, but you are my never-ending summer._

**_***Hate it? Like it? Love it? Whichever is your pick, please review. :) -Shihori._**

**_Answers to reviewer:_**

**_Kouriice: You're a nut. :) That's why you're my best friend and favorite beta reader. hahaha_**


	5. Chapter 05

**_****DISCLAMER: I don't own Fruit Basket nor any of its characters. Sara Fujima and other characters not original from furuba, are obviously mine. _**

**_ This fic centers mostly around Hatori, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji, -exactly in that level of importance. The rest of the Sohma and Tohru make small appearances. If you feel it is rushed all I can say to that is "Sorry. I'm busy with university classes, so I try to keep my fics as short as possible." If there are any mistakes with the names, I was typing too fast. Mistakes with the nicknames: they are so many that I sometimes get confused. Anyways…I hope you like the story. Thank you for reading and please review. I'd like to know your opinions whether they are constructive or destructive. In other words, flames are accepted, so fire away. _**

****

**_Shihori._**

~*~*~*~*~

"And when I saw her carrying him I thought 'this is Tori-san's love-love opportunity!" Ayame's loud voice came through the phone. Shigure kept it at safe distance from his ear. "So I decided to give them sometime before interrupting them! Don't take me wrong. I didn't want to interrupt them on purpose! I just wanted to check that he was alright. I mean, she found out of the curse and all and she having her memories gone I had no idea how she would react over the curse! She seemed to take it more than well because when I opened the door guess what?" 

"What?" Shigure asked and then took the phone away from his ear again. 

"They were kissing!" Ayame yelled, excited over the whole thing. "Not only that! Her clothes were wet and he had a towel around his neck!" Shigure's amused look vanished only to be replaced by a serious, somewhat sad look in his eyes. –_So after all you couldn't resist her Ha-san. _ He smirked. –_She spoiled us so much that it is impossible to step away from her again. We're such brats…wrapped around her finger. _

"Of course when I appeared they immediately separated and they looked SO CUTE, looking embarrassed, blushing and all!" Ayame laughed. "They looked like a high school couple caught by their teacher just before they BEEP! Now that I think about it… it would have probably happened if I hadn't intruded! Damn my timing!" He laughed even louder. "It would have been much more fun to find them in a more compromising scene!" 

"You really had fun didn't you?" Shigure said in a half amusing tone. 

"Indeed I did!" Ayame laughed, but then yelled out. "You can put the phone to your ear again. I'll stop being loud." 

Shigure did as he was asked. "I should have gone to that party. It seems it was very entertaining." 

"Ah yes…you could have seen a pair of striptease, but that's not what I wanted to tell you." Ayame's tone was serious. "I know it is wrong of me to ask you this, since I helped in a way or another…" 

"If she's happy, it is enough for me." Shigure answered before the snake could even ask. 

"The truth is that I always thought she belonged more at your side than at Tori-san's." Ayame muttered, "You two always liked the same things, laughed at the same jokes. Heck! You two were partners in mischief!" 

"We are too much alike." Shigure said smiling as memories flooded his mind, but sadness hinted on his tone. "That's why I was her confidant. Hatori was so different to her. That's why she was pulled to him like a magnet. And you….well… you were her right hand when it came to dressing up." Right then Yuki walked down the stairs and Shigure beamed at him. "Ah Yuki! Are you ready for your third double date?" He pulled the phone away from his ear on time. 

Deceiving Bonds: Chapter 5 

"I'm so proud of you YUKI!" Ayame yelled. "Be a gentleman and don't do anything 'H' to Honda-san!" 

Yuki glared at the phone as if he had his brother in front of him. "Don't mistake me with you nii-san!" 

Ayame laughed, "Don't be embarrassed my little brother! Every healthy man has 'H' thoughts! It is part of men's roma-" 

Yuki's hand rested over the receiver, which he had forcefully put back on the base. Shigure whined at him with tears overflowing his eyes. "You're so mean Yuki-kun! That was my phone call!" 

"You really should choose better your acquaintances." Yuki snapped at him and walked towards the living room. 

"Yuki-kun is so boring…" The dog continued to whine after him. "You could learn a few things of Aya." 

"Only thing I could learn from him is how to be shameful." Yuki said annoyed and sighed as he sat on his cushion. "What time will Kagura be here?" 

"Kyou-kun!" Kagura flew inside and caught the cat on time before he escaped her death embrace. "I'm so excited! This is our third date! We'll be officially a couple!" 

"Where did you get that from?" Kyou hissed, still trying to escape. 

"Oya oya…." Shigure chuckled from his seat. "Kyou-kun you must not run away from responsibilities as a man!" 

"What responsibilities?" The cat squealed as Kagura's grip around his neck tightened. 

"Eto…we should go Kagura-san. The movie will begin in an hour." Tohru said in a weak attempt to save Kyou from being choked to death. 

"Ah that's right!" Kagura jumped to her feet and dragged a half dead Kyou-kun behind her. "See you later Shi-chan!" Yuki and Tohru followed. The girl obviously worried for Kyou's state. 

"Go and come back safely!" The dog sing song-ed before taking a sip of his tea. His countenance changed the moment he heard the door close. He stared at the liquid in his cup with a deep look in his eyes. –_The high, blue sky will always be unreachable for someone as dirty as me. _He stared at his hand, a smirk taking over his lips. –_With only thinking of reaching it, I stain its pureness. _

° 

"What movie are we watching anyways?" Kyou muttered in annoyance at Kagura who hung from his arm the whole time. 

"Mogeta Comes Back!" Kagura and Tohru chirped at unison. 

A gloomy aura fell over Kyou and Yuki. "Who'd want to see that stupid rat again?" Kyou hissed, trying to pull his arm away. "I'm not watching that again!" 

"Mou….Kyou-kun…" Kagura said sweetly but then reverted to her scary mode. "YOU'RE WATCHING IT!" 

_-Damn this woman…_Kyou thought angrily but not opposing more to his fate. 

"Isn't that Hatori-san?" Tohru said, bringing everyone's attention. 

Yuki watched at the older jyunishi walking on the sidewalk at the other side of the street. "It is Hatori." 

"I thought he never had free days." Kyou commented. "Akito being ill all the time and all that." 

"Even Hatori-nii needs to rest from time to time." Kagura said, joining the other three on their staring, but everyone's jaws dropped when they saw someone else speaking lively to him and- "He's holding hands with a woman!" 

"Not any woman." Kyou muttered while watching Hatori smile. Although they were across the street he could see very well that the cool doctor was smiling warmly at someone. 

"Where does he know Fujima-sensei from?" Yuki spoke the trio's question. 

"Fujima-sensei? A teacher from your school?" Kagura asked innocently. 

"Yes. She is Momiji-kun and Haru-san's homeroom teacher." Tohru explained the older girl. 

"Should we follow them?" Yuki suggested. –_Anything to not watch that movie._

"Eh? Yun-chan is the one to suggest that?" Kagura looked at the mouse as if he had just grown horns, but then grinned. "Let's follow!" 

"Don't agree so easily!" Kyou hissed at the boar. 

"Isn't that rude?" Tohru muttered, but Yuki grabbed her hand before she could complain any further and lead her to the safe crossing line while Kagura dragged Kyou. Soon they caught up with Hatori and Sara, following them closely but keeping distance enough not to be noticed. 

"Are you sure it's alright for you to be here with me?" Sara asked, looking up a bit concerned. She was wearing a mid-thigh violet skirt, a light lilac, strapless top under a white cardigan, and white, Roman style, sandals. Her straight hair was pulled back in a loose braid with some bangs framing her face. 

Hatori's grip around her hand tightened a little to reassure her that it was alright. "If there is any problem back home, they'll call me. Akito has been doing good lately so it is ok for me to take a day off." He dressed in blue pants, white, short-sleeved shirt with the neck buttons unbuttoned, and brown boot-like shoes. 

"I'm glad." Sara smiled, her eyes drifting down to their clasped hands making her smile wider. –_I want to live... I want to live this dream for as long as I can. _"Momiji-kun and Hatsu-kun were very worried for me." She commented, "When I arrived to school they were waiting for me at the teacher's lounge door. They're so sweet." 

"Haru told me Momiji insisted on doing the party yesterday." Hatori commented, half smiling down at her. "Also that you looked happier than usual." 

Sara giggled and gave him a teasing look. "Of course I was happier than usual, but it has nothing to do with you at all." 

"Oh really?" He smirked playfully, "And here I was feeling important." He watched her giggle knowing she wouldn't admit it a second time. The Sara he knew would only tell how she felt, whether it was good or bad, when she wasn't able to handle or keep those feelings to herself any longer. After that, she never discussed her feelings again. She had a habit he used to call 'critical moment blurt'. He chuckled at the memory. –_She hated when I named her habits. _

He watched her from the tail of his eye while she stared at the shop windows as the walked through the mall. This Sara wasn't that different in her habits. –_But she's stronger, more confident in her steps, livelier than before if that is possible. She had grown up and bloomed on her own, far from our eyes and maybe it was the best that could have happened to her. If Akito and us would have stayed by her side, she would have withered slowly until summer died and winter took over her heart, like me. _

"That's so cute!" She squealed out of the sudden, letting go of his hand and running to the shop window. 

Hatori followed her looking down at what she was staring at. "You want one?" 

She spun around smiling. "Yes, but it is for Akima. I've been kind of mean with her lately so this will make her forgive me. Wait here." She said as she walked into the shop. 

Hatori walked into the toy store after her, finding her at the plush animals section. "Found it?" 

Sara was crouching in front of a bunch of plush rabbits of all colors. "Found too many." She said in a whiny voice. "She has bunnies of all colors and sizes." She noticed one at the back and pulled it out carefully so the rest wouldn't come down with it. "But not a yellow one!" She smiled triumphantly while hugging the long eared bunny. 

_-Looks too much like Momiji._ Hatori thought while staring at the stuffed animal. 

"What do you think Momiji-kun and Hatsu-kun would like?" She asked absently while looking around. 

"Candy or chocolates." Hatori answered noticing the racks with sweets. 

"I want to thank them for worrying for me." Sara smiled, taking a pair of candy bags. "If it wasn't for them you would have never gone to my apartment." She spun around suddenly, making him almost run into her but he stopped on time. "Do you still regret it?" 

Hatori frowned at her question. It was indeed troublesome that she had found out about the curse because she'd begin asking more about it anytime soon and he worried even more about the day Akito finds out about their relationship before he tells him. He brought his hand to a side of her head making her look up to his eyes immediately. "Not at all." He said with a smile on his lips. –_It had been a long time since I was able to smile like this, to feel so free. Each time she smiles, the snow covering my heart melts._ _I can be who I used to be. _

His smile was enough answer for her. She turned around and walked to the cashier, bringing out her purse from her pocket. Hatori quickly stopped her. "I will pay for this." 

"But-" She began to complain with big eyes. 

"No buts." Hatori smiled and ushered her towards the door while the cashier added the merchandise's prices. 

Sara watched him while he paid for the bunny and the candies. –_It had been a while since a special someone bought something for me. _ A smile played on her lips as he walked to her carrying the bag. "Thank you." She said with a sheepish look on her face. 

"Anything you like or want, just ask for it." Hatori said as he took her hand again as they walked out of the shop and back to the mall full with people. "Fujima-san made it clear this morning that in this family everyone pampers you. I won't be the exception." 

"This family?" Sara repeated with a light blush on her cheeks. 

"Yes." He half smiled at her. "Am I not?" 

Sara giggled to cover up her embarrassment. "Well if you've seen Akima's morning face, I guess you become part of the family immediately so her secret won't be disclosed." 

Hatori chuckled recalling what he saw that morning when he went to pick her up. "What was she wearing anyways?" 

Sara laughed, "One of Ayame-san's special designs for her." She looked up to him giggling. "And you haven't seen the bunny one." 

"Bunny one?" Hatori gave her a quizzically look. "Something tells me I don't want to see that." 

Sara laughed even more. "That's a wise decision, but if you'll keep picking me up early you'll see it sooner or later." 

"I picked you up at 11:30." Hatori pointed out thinking that it wasn't an early hour. 

"This is Akima we're talking about Hatori." Sara smiled, blushing suddenly realizing how easy his name rolled out of her lips, and she liked it. "1 in the afternoon is early for her. Her day begins at 3 p.m." She chuckled, "I don't know how Ryo-kun has been able to survive her life style." 

"They seem to be very different." He commented, smiling as Sara let go of his hand to wrap her arm around his instead. 

"They haven't married for that reason." Sara felt glad that he didn't pull back or tell her to be careful because he could transform. "Ryo-kun says that a marriage certificate and rings would only clip Akima's wings. That's why they aren't an official couple either." She noticed the question printed on his face. "They say their hearts belong together so why put a status or a condition to them. I can't really understand them, but Ryo-kun says that with each passing day he loves her more, and because he loves her that much he prefers to let her be free. Not to mention he enjoys very much watching her come back to him." 

Hatori noticed something on a shop window and stopped walking. "Sara, could you wait a while for me please?" 

Sara blinked and then nodded. "Alright." She looked around and found a bench area. "I'll be there." She said pointing at the bench close to the crepes shop. 

"I'll be back soon." He promised and kissed her on the cheek as he gave her the bag with the bunny and candies. 

"O-kay…" She muttered, touching her cheek and blushing lightly while watching him walk back on their tracks. –_Should I follow him?_ She wondered. –_No. It's not like he's going to leave me here. _She decided to go sit down and wait like she had promised. 

"He discovered us!" Kagura shrieked watching Hatori coming back. She and Kyou were hiding behind a product demonstration stand. 

"Oi… you two. Go already will ya?" The guy in charge of it glared down at them. 

"A jewelry store?" Yuki muttered from behind the bench where he and Tohru were hiding. 

"What can he do in a jewelry store?" Tohru spoke up the question they were all thinking. 

"He's going to buy rings!" Kagura suddenly yelled, flared up, getting everyone's attention. "This is so romantic!" 

Kyou glared and hissed at her. "Shut up you idiot! We're supposed to be hiding!" 

"Ah.. yes." Kagura smiled sheepishly and then dragged Kyou behind the bench next to Yuki's and Tohru's where they could have a front view of the store. "Ne…ne… do you think he'll ask her to marry him?" 

"I don't think so." Yuki muttered, "But if he does…" –_I'll really admire him if he can go forward with this relationship no matter Akito's orders._

A while later he came out with a small, velvet box in hand. 

"It's too big to be a ring box." Kagura announced. 

"How do you know tha- Where the hell you got that from?" Kyou shrieked since he didn't notice when she got a pair of toy binoculars. 

"Onee-san…" whined a kid next to Kagura. "Give them back Onee-san…" 

"Okay!" Kagura chirped giving them back to the kid and giving him a candy. "Thank you for lending them to me." 

"Thank you onee-san!" The kid beamed at her and skipped away with his lollipop. 

Kagura turned to the other three who were sweat dropping at her actions. "Shall we continue following him? I want to know what is in that box!" 

"Let's go!" Tohru declared jumping to her feet. 

"Why are you suddenly into it too?" Kyou looked at her curiously. "Just a while ago you were saying we were being rude with Hatori." 

Tohru smiled sheepishly, "I still think so but….I really want to know what is in that box." 

"Yosha!" Kagura exclaimed grabbing Kyou by his shirt's collar and dragging him behind again. 

"Shall we go Honda-san?" Yuki smiled down at Tohru. 

"Yes!" Tohru exclaimed with a determined look on her face. 

Hatori walked to the bench where Sara was sitting at facing away from him. He opened the box and took out a gold necklace with a butterfly pendant that had blue and black stones imitating the patterns on a real butterfly's wings. 

"Do you like it?" A very young Hatori, probably 13 years old, asked while staring at a butterfly with blue and black spotted wings sit at the bottom of a jar.

_"It is pretty." Ten years old Sara smiled brightly. "But…" _

_"It looks sad." Akito, maybe six years old then, looked up at the jar. His head was resting on Sara's lap. "Why did you trap it Hatori-nii?" _

"So you two could see it." Hatori smiled, "Why don't you let it go now that you've seen it?"

_"You want to let it go Aki-chan?" Sara asked, looking down at Akito who only nodded, and gave the jar for him to carry. _

_Hatori watched them stand up and walk to the window. Sara slid the window open and sat on the sill, bringing Akito to her lap. She softened the lid so Akito could finish unscrewing it. The young head of the family watched in awe as the butterfly flew out of the jar and into freedom. _

_"It's so pretty…" Akito smiled pointing at the butterfly that immediately sat on a flower close by. _

_Sara hugged Akito to her chest, and rested her head on his. "It is." _

Sara was startled when she felt something rest on her chest and looked up. "Hatori." She smiled brightly at him and then looked down to the necklace he has just put around neck. "It is…" 

"You like it?" He asked, enjoying her surprised countenance. 

"I love it!" She squealed, resting the pendant on her hand to take a closer look to it. "How did you know I love butterflies?" 

Hatori half smiled as he sat next to her. "I didn't, but something told me you'd like it." 

"I do." She said with teary eyes and kissed his cheek since she couldn't hug him. "I really do." 

The doctor wiped the tear that escaped her eye gently and smiled. "It's supposed to make you smile, not make you cry." 

"It's just that…" She whispered, trying to take control of herself. Again she smiled and whispered in a loving tone. "You make me really happy." 

Hatori smiled and took her hand, standing up. "Let's go. That movie you wanted to watch will start soon." 

"Okay." Sara took the bag at her side and they began walking towards the theater 

The four youngsters followed them into the theater and took seat several rows behind them. None of them were really paying attention to the movie. "So bold Hatori-nii!" Kagura squealed when Hatori wrapped his arm around Sara's shoulder, bringing her a bit closer and she rested her head on his shoulder. 

The persons sitting around them hushed them for the third time and Yuki apologized in her behalf again. He leaned back on his seat and muttered, "Somehow I'm exhausted." 

"But it is so heart moving" Tohru whispered, refraining herself from squealing as well. "Seeing Hatori-san so happy." 

"Who would have said that cool looking Hatori could be so bold and quick." Kyou muttered. 

Kagura punched his arm and glared at him. "When you say it that way, you make him look like a big 'H'." 

Kyou glared at her, refraining from yelling at her for hitting him or they'd get them all discovered. He guessed that the Sohma's doctor wouldn't be happy to know they followed him. 

When the movie finished they followed them to a restaurant, which looked rather expensive. Neither of the two boys had that much money to take them to that restaurant and keep spying, so instead they bought some burgers, fries and soda, and ate outside of the restaurant always keeping an eye on the door for when they came out. An hour later they continued to follow them around the mall and kept an eye on them until they got into a quick photo booth. 

"She acts like a teenager." Kyou pointed out after they came out of the booth and saw Sara giggling and almost bouncing around Hatori. "Reminds me of Momiji for some reason." 

"I think they look cute." Tohru commented while hiding behind the wall as well as Kagura. Kyou and Yuki stood behind them, keeping safe distance from each other as well. 

Sara noticed the frown on Hatori's face and stopped her high school girl attitude. "Am I bothering you?" 

Hatori shook his head negatively. "Not at all. It's just that…" He looked around. "I've had this feeling like someone is following us." 

Sara looked around and her eyes fell upon a certain spot. "I think you are right Hatori." She said walking in the direction of the youngsters. 

"We're doomed!" Kagura shrieked as she pulled Tohru away from the wall's corner and they all awaited for Hatori to come around any moment, but that didn't happen. 

Yuki was the one to take the first bold move, and peeked again from the corner, and began chuckling. "It seems we weren't the only ones following them." 

Sara glared down at Akima who wore a Playboy bunny costume and had a video camera on her hand. "A-KU-MA." The taller woman growled at the petite one, changing the I for U on purpose to call Akima a devil. It had been easy to spot her since there was a group of males looking at her. 

"And now taking a close up of Hatori-niisan's first present to Sa-chan." Akima said as she took a close up of the pendant, and squealed. "So beautiful!" She beamed brightly at Hatori, ignoring Sara's angry glares, and jumped to hug him. "My dear brother!" 

"Hug him and you die." Sara said in a solemn, scary tone. 

Akima froze in front of Hatori and smiled sheepishly up at him. "Ara…forgot she's the jealous, possessive type." 

"You've trained her well." Hatori commented to Sara impressed at the effect her words had on the petite woman. 

Sara smirked and pulled her a safe distance away from Hatori. "Now what in the world are you doing here and dressed like that?" 

"Well I wanted to record your second date since I wasn't able to record the first one." Akima said innocently tapping at the video camera. 

Sara looked around the place and called out. "Ryota!" She saw him stand up from the bench where he had been reading the newspapers and walk to her with a calm smile. "You had nothing to do with this, yet you're here, right?" 

"I'll have to get a better excuse." Ryota smiled, and shrugged. "What can I say? Couldn't really say no." 

Sara turned to Hatori and smiled at him. "You want to see a nice trick?" He looked at her curiously as she took out the plush bunny. "Akima! Look Akima!" She brought the woman's attention away from Hatori by waving the bunny in front of the camera. "It's cute, isn't it?" 

"CUUTE!" Akima squealed and threw the camera away, which Ryota caught casually, and tried to take it from Sara's hands but she pulled back on time. "Give it to me please!" She whined. "You don't like those!" 

Sara's eyes took a mischievous gleam as she swung the bunny in front of Akima again. "Fetch!" She yelled and threw the bunny away, which Akima jumped after. Grabbing his hand quickly, she turned around and they both ran away, losing all their stalkers. 

"They run very fast." Kagura commented while staring at the way they disappeared. 

"We should go back home. It's almost supper time and I promised Shigure-san I'd be back to cook." Tohru said staring at the big clock in the middle of the mall. 

"I'll help you cook!" Kagura offered as they began walking the opposite way followed by the two boys. 

Ryota sat down on the bench next to Akima who was hugging and nuzzling the plush rabbit. "You always fall for that trick." 

Akima suddenly had a gloomy, scary look on her face. "That little devil." 

"She bought you that bunny though." He pointed out, smiling. 

"Isn't it cute?" She squealed, going back to her hyper mode, and hugging the rabbit. Ryota just watched her have her reverie with the toy with tender eyes. 

In some place of the mall, Sara and Hatori sat on a bench recovering their breath. They looked at each other and began laughing. When their laughter subsided, Sara smiled softly at him. "This must have been the weirdest date you've ever had." 

Hatori half smiled and placed his hand on her head. "Not going to deny it." Then he chuckled. "But it's been fun." He then looked at her accusingly. "You knew she was following us all the time." 

Sara grinned and began giggling, making him smile. "That's why I bought the bunny." She leaned back on the bench and rested her head on his shoulder. "I think I haven't told you this yet." 

He slightly frowned while looking down at her. "What?" 

"I won't ask you about your curse, but I'll be glad if you trust me more about it whenever you're ready." She said in a serious tone. "I loved you before I knew about it, and I love you even more now even after learning about it." She moved away from him and smiled softly. "My feelings for you will never change Hatori. No matter what." 

_-I wonder if… _ Hatori thought as he leaned over, placing his hand at the back of her head to bring her face closer, and kissed her gently. –_You'd feel the same if you knew the truth. _

° 

"Fujima-sensei and Harii." Momiji looked at Kagura with wide eyes. "I had no idea." 

"Love rival." Haru muttered under his breath. 

Yuki who was sitting closer to him sweat dropped. "Aren't you being a bit drastic?" 

"But they looked so happy together!" Kagura squealed and hugged Kyou, making him choke on his food. "They make a perfect couple just like Kyou-kun and I!" 

"How is THAT perfect?" Yuki pointed out, "He's half dead most of the time." 

"Shut up damn mouse!" Kyou hissed, cat ears popping on his head. 

"You don't seem surprised Shigure-san." Tohru looked at Shigure who was rather quiet tonight. 

"I already knew." He said simply and set his chopsticks over the empty rice bowl. "Thank you for the meal." 

"Are you sick Shi-chan?" Kagura asked worriedly. 

Shigure smiled and shook his head. "Not at all." He wrapped an arm around his torso and leaned is other elbow on it while rubbing his chin. "Ha-san and Sara-chan. Interesting." He stood up from his cushion and made his way out of the room saying, "I have a 500 pages deadline to finish. Please don't disturb me." 

"He's acting weird." Yuki commented, taking another bite of his rice. 

Kyou stared at the door recalling a conversation he heard accidentally between Shigure and Hatori a pair of weeks ago, while laying on the roof like every other night. 

"You said you'd do anything to keep your oath." Hatori muttered, "Do you really think it is the best to pull Sara back into this? If you keep her close, no matter what, she'll find out sooner or later about the curse, and if you keep on with your plans, she'll find out like everybody else your true face. Can you handle her rejection?"

"That is a big price to pay, but I will afford it." Shigure spoke up. "I will make our dream, my dream eternal, no matter what. Back then, you told me that you wouldn't be by my side when the moment came, that as an enemy, you'd turn your back on it as well…" A pause. "Even if you say it, you can't step away from Sara, because I've noticed the way you were looking at her earlier. And I can't blame you. Even I would fall for someone like her." Sounds of steps. "Hatori…if you hurt her again, it will be I who becomes your enemy."

-_Pull Fujima-san back into what? The cat wondered once again since he heard that conversation. –What is Shigure planning that is so terrible that even Hatori would turn his back on him? I can't ask either of them directly because they wouldn't give me a straight answer. I'll have to wait and see…_ "This is so frustrating!" He yelled out of the sudden startling everyone. He blushed and sat down again. 

"Stupid cat." Yuki muttered. 

"Say that again you damn mouse!" Kyou hissed at his cousin. 

"Stupid cat." Yuki repeated staring with a bored look on his eyes at the orange haired youngster. 

Kyou gritted his teeth but refrained from starting a fight. He took a deep sigh and then muttered, "Anyways…what we saw today, shouldn't reach Akito's ears." 

"For once you say something with sense stupid cat." Yuki agreed in his own way with the cat. "Things could be worse this time." 

"Kana's story would repeat all over again." Momiji said sadly. "We must keep it a secret!" 

"But sensei," Haru said in his usual calm tone. "Sensei knows of it now. Even if we ask him not to say anything to Akito, he might do it all the same." 

Silence fell upon the group of youngsters. They all knew there wasn't much they could do. 

In the meantime, Shigure sat in silence in his studio, in front of the desk rubbing the bridge of his nose carelessly while staring down at an open book with saddened eyes. The title was 'Aoi Sora' and under it was Shigure's name typed in bold black letters. Next to his name there was something hand written, a dedication that read: To my unreachable sky, my eternal muse. Aside the book there was a picture with four youngsters in uniform sitting under a tree, Hatori, Sara with her head resting on Hatori's shoulder, Shigure holding hands with Sara, and Ayame sitting behind them with his head between Sara's and Shigure's. 

° 

May came to an end and June began with the summer's rainy part. They had been together for a month already and everything seemed to run smoothly. Except for… 

"NE! Sara! Open up!" Akima whined from outside the door. "I just want to take a picture of you and onii-san!" 

"Do you think she'll get tired someday?" Hatori asked, looking up from his book. He was lying on a thin, long cushion that rested over a low bookshelf. His head rested on Sara's lap while she leaned on the window, reading a book as well. 

"Not likely." Sara answered, not looking away from her book, but her hand continued to run through his hair slowly, caressing it gently. "Ryo-kun will arrive anytime." 

"Hmmn…" Hatori nodded lightly, unconsciously closing his eyes. 

Sara laid down her book after a while and stared at him. "Rough week huh?" She said softly but got no response from him, and noticed his breath had become shallow. –_You letting me watch you sleep…it means that you've finally grown comfortable with me._ She thought as her fingers made aside the bangs covering his left eye. –_The pain in your eyes has become a barely noticeable shadow. Could it be that I've healed you just like you have healed me?_

_"YOU CAN ONLY LOVE ME!" _

Sara brought her hand away from his face to cover her left eye, gritting her teeth as pain washed through her head. Slowly she leaned on the cool window, the skies pouring outside, trying not to wake up Hatori. –_This dream…_ She thought as she slowly closed her eyes and her hand fell to her side. –_I want to live… _

"Sara." Hatori shook her gently. "Wake up Sara." 

She opened her eyes slowly and searched for the source of the voice. "Hatori." She whispered. 

"You fell asleep in such uncomfortable position. You should have waked me up." He said softly, caressing her face. 

The room was dark and the only light coming in came from outside the window. It was still raining, even harder than earlier. "I didn't want to wake you up." She smiled softly, moving off the bookshelf. 

"Your neck doesn't hurt?" He asked as he rubbed the back of her neck gently. 

She smiled and half closed her eyes. "Just a little bit." Suddenly there was a loud thundering accompanied by lighting. Sara saw behind Hatori the shadow of a kid. The words she heard before passing out ringed in her ears: you can only love me, followed by the sound of crystal breaking. She screamed, reaching to her back where the scar lays, as a tearing pain snaked under her skin, and fell against Hatori, making him transform. 

Before she could fall on his clothes, where he had to be underneath, she tilted her body to aside and coiled into fetal position, crying and holding a side of his head. Hatori, in his sea horse shape, could only hear her cry and moan tearing his heart apart. Two minutes later the transformation wore off, and he immediately reached over for her, not minding his nakedness. "Sara!" He grabbed her arm. "Sara speak to me!" 

She had stopped screaming and moaning, but tears continued to flow out of her eyes. "It hurts." She stuttered, "My back hurts." 

He quickly lifted her blouse and saw the curvy scar that began under her shoulder to end on her side. "You don't have anything Sara." She didn't answer. Instead she moved her hands from her head to her face as fresh tears flowed out of her eyes, a small cry escaping her lips. 

Hatori got dressed quickly and then helped her to her feet. "Come. I'll help you lie down." He said as he slid the door to the bedroom open and helped her into the futon and covered her with the thick quilt. "I'll go get Akima and Ryota-san." He said as he stood up. 

"Wait!" Sara reached out for him. "Don't leave me alone." 

"Alright." He knelt next to the futon and took her left hand between his. "Has this happened before?" 

Sara shook her head, her eyes closed. "No…" She whispered, "But for some reason…I got very scared." 

"You scared me too." He admitted, turning her palm up and rubbed her hand with a little pressure but careful not to cause her pain. –_This used to make her sleep_. He thought, smiling softly seeing that she was calming down and her breath became shallow slowly. 

He put her arm back under the blanket and left the room silently, leaving her chambers in search for Akima or Ryota. He found them in the kitchen making supper. 

"Ryota-san." He said as he walked into the black and white tiled area. 

"You look pale. Is there something wrong?" Akima immediately noticed, setting down the knife on the cutting board. Then fear hit her. "Is there something wrong with Sara?" 

"That is what I'd like to know." Hatori said with a serious countenance. "She is sleeping right now, but just a moment ago she began screaming and crying, saying her back hurt, and kept holding her head tightly." He noticed Akima's face slowly become pale as well. "Your reaction tells me there is something wrong with her." 

Akima looked down and muttered, "Well.. you see…" 

Ryota wrapped his arm around her neck, bringing him against him, but his eyes looked sternly at Hatori. "It is Sara who has to tell you Hatori-san. We have no right to tell you about it. You'll have to wait till she wakes up to ask her." He bowed his head and his upper body slightly. "Please forgive us, but we must keep our word to her." 

-There is something truly bad going on. Hatori nodded. "I understand. She asked me not to leave and I hope you don't mind me staying with her." 

"Not at all." Ryota shook his head and let go of Akima. "I'll take you something to eat to her room in a while." 

"Thank you." Hatori said before walking out of the kitchen and back to her room. 

Akima turned around and hugged Ryota, crying against his chest. He caressed her head and whispered, "It will be alright. We can't lose hopes. She will be alright." 

Meanwhile at the Sohma main house, Akito's lone figure sat in front of a wide window. On his lap rested a picture of young Sara with him when a child, and both of them smiling. His finger traced circles on the window, a half grin curving his lips. "You don't seem to understand…" He said to no one in particular. "That if she's not for me, she won't be for either of you." Lighting lit the dark skies, lighting his dark looking face, followed by a loud thunder. 

° 

"Please don't ask me anything Hatori." Sara said as she combed her hair in front of the mirror. She had dressed in a dark violet, skirt and long jacket, with a white strapless top inside. The butterfly pendant dangling on her chest as she moved. 

Hatori stood behind her looking displeased with her attitude. "The least I deserve is an explanation Sara. You really scared me last night and Ryota-san and Akima made realize there is something wrong with you." He stepped closer to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. She set the brush on the bureau and leaned on it "You are making me worry. I need to know what is it Sara." 

"It isn't something to worry about." She lied big time, but she wasn't ready to tell him the truth. She moved away from him to get a pair of half-calf high black boots since it was still raining. Grabbing her purse and portfolio case, she walked out of her chambers followed by Hatori. 

Akima was waiting for her already at the door. For once she was wearing a normal red baby doll under a robe of the same color and her shoulder length hair was loose. "How are you feeling?" She asked immediately, looking worried at Sara. 

Sara tried to control the anger that built up in her the moment she saw the petite woman. 

-You can never keep your mouth shut can you? "I'm fine. Ryota and you are picking me up at school?" She asked as she put on the boots and grabbed an umbrella from the metal tin at a corner. 

"Yes. We'll be there at 2 exactly." Akima watched Hatori put on his shoes as well. "Hatori-nii-" 

"See you later." Sara said as she opened the door and walked out, leaving the door open knowing Hatori would follow. 

"Thank you for everything." Hatori said quickly at the woman and left after Sara. 

Fifteen minutes later they arrived to the school. Silence and a heavy air reigned in the car. It was broken by the sound of knocking on the window. Hatori turned his face and saw a brightly smiling Momiji waving at him and Haru standing at the gates. 

Sara suddenly opened the door and stepped out, opening the umbrella immediately while closing the car's door with the one that carried the portfolio case. Hatori stepped out of the car not caring about getting wet and caught up with her at the gates. 

"Why are you acting like this?" He demanded, looking sternly at her. "Is it so wrong to be worried about you?" 

"What is going on?" Momiji asked Haru who only shrugged, while they watched with great concern the scene. 

Sara sighed and shook her head lightly. "It is not, but right now is not the moment to talk about this." She looked up to him and forced herself to smile. –I will end this…before it is too late. Before I can hurt you more than I already have. "We'll talk tonight okay?" She saw her about to insist, but she leaned over and kissed his lips softly not minding the gasps of the few students who saw it. "Please. Tonight." She didn't wait for his answer and walked past him. 

"Harii will catch a cold." Momiji said with great concerned eyes. 

Haru covered the older jyunishi with his umbrella. "Did you have your first lovers quarrel?" 

Hatori looked at the rebellious looking cow. "How did you know?" 

"We've known for a long while now." Momiji smiled brightly at him. "I'm glad Harii decided to be happy." 

"I don't mind losing Fujima-sensei to you." Haru commented in a bold, but calm manner. 

Hatori decided to dismiss the youngster's words since there were greater things to worry about. "Who else knows? Have you commented it in the main house?" 

"Kyou, Yuki, Kagura, Tohru." Haru answered the first question. 

"We have a pair of times." Momiji confessed, looking a bit guilty, but he smiled brightly right after. "But no one heard us!" 

Hatori sighed and patted the rabbit's head. "We'll talk later." He said and walked back to the car, and was gone in a matter of seconds. 

Haru looked up to the cloudy skies. "This weather..." 

"It feels strange." Momiji finished his cousin's words. 

Back in the teacher's room, Sara sat at her cubicle staring sadly at the butterfly. –_I should be grateful to have met him again, to have my dream come true. I really shouldn't ask more of this life. I am ready…._ Tears welled up in her eyes. –_I am ready to let go of this dream. _

_  
_

° 

Hatori walked out of the barber's shop and stepped into his car. Putting on the eyeglasses before starting the car, he looked at his eyes' reflection on the rearview mirror. He had cut his hair as well as the bangs that covered the left side of his face and now they reached just under the eye. –It is time to leave the past behind. He thought and turned on the car's engine, pulling into the street on his way to Kaiwabara High School. 

At the same time, Akima and Ryota walked out of the apartment. "Hurry Ryota! She'll be mad if we arrive there at 2:01!" 

"You are more nervous than she is." Ryota pointed out as they waited for the elevator. 

"Even if she doesn't say it," Akima said with great pain in her eyes. "I know this is killing her inside. Having found happiness, and knowing she'll lose it soon." 

"I think you're the only one being a pessimist." Ryota said in a annoyed tone. "Stop burying her already Akima." The woman seemed to shrink even more at those words and he hugged her. "I'm sorry." 

° 

Kyou, Tohru, Yuki, Momiji and Haru walked out of the lockers room. A bright afternoon welcoming them as they stepped out of the school building. 

"She's been down all day." Momiji commented while they watched Sara walk among the students heading out of the high school's grounds. 

"Is she sick?" Tohru asked becoming concerned for someone she didn't know all too well, but she liked her. 

Momiji shook his head and grabbed Tohru's hand. "She seems to have argued with her prince." 

"Hatori you mean." Kyou muttered, swinging his books case over his shoulder. 

"Akito." Haru muttered suddenly coming to a halt. 

The others stared the direction the cow was staring at and indeed there was Akito dressed in his usual black clothes, standing in the middle of the way. 

"What is he doing here?" Yuki muttered everyone's question. 

"Fujima-sensei." Haru muttered seeing that Akito stopped Sara and was smiling pleasantly at her. He began towards her, but Yuki stopped him. "Let go. He'll hurt her." 

"We don't know what is he doing here." Yuki pointed out, "If we interrupt him now-" He stopped and sighed at the determined look on Haru. "Alright, but please don't turn black." He turned to Tohru. "Honda-san, please stay away from him." 

Yuki, Haru and Kyou walked closer to Akito and Sara. Yuki called out Akito's name but the clan's head smiled at him and then ignored him, going back to the person he had come to see. 

"Sir, I'm sorry but right now I don't have time." Sara said politely, "If you want to talk about your-" 

"Fujima-san, I haven't come for what you may think." Akito said, his voice smooth as silk and his smile was gentle while his eyes seemed warm towards the woman. "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Akito. Sohma Akito, head of the Sohma clan." 

_-The man Hatori takes care of._ Sara's eyes didn't hide the surprise. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sohma-san, but I still don't understand what business you can have with me." She said looking at Akito at the same eye level. 

"They've been so mean." He said in a soft voice, looking sad at her. "Really mean to have hidden from me that you were here." 

"Sohma-san I-" Sara began but was surprised by the sudden hug the ill Sohma gave her. 

"I've missed you so much onee-sama!" He exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "You have no idea how much I've missed you!" 

"Onee-sama?" The three jyunishi repeated in confusion. 

Sara dropped her portfolio and purse, and used both hands to push Akito away. "I have no brother." -_But I know.. I know….I am a Sohma. _

"How are you this morning Fujima-san?" asked a nurse as she pulled the curtains open.

_"Stop calling me that." Sara said from the bed, her hair covering her face. _

_"That is your name, Fujima-san." The nurse insisted. _

_"It is not!" Sara yelled, glaring at the nurse with the eyes of someone who is about to go mad. "It is not my name! My name is-" _

"Sara Sohma." Akito reached out and caressed her face. "You are Sara Sohma, not Sara Fujima. You are my older sister. The one who those three took away from me!" 

Sara continued to look at him with mistrust. "Can you prove it?" 

He smiled and brought out a photo wallet, handing it to her. "I knew you'd ask for some kind of proof." 

Sara stared at the picture of her, much younger, but definitely her, hugging a kid that looked a lot like the man in front of her. On the other side of it, there was an ID card with Sara's previous stats and a picture of her when she was 16. "It is I." She whispered, and looked up to Akito. "But why I can't remember this?" 

"Akito, what are you planning now?" Yuki asked, concerned about Sara's sudden paleness. 

Akito smiled warmly at his favorite Jyunishi. "I am not planning anything. I just want to recover my sister. Unlike you, I love my sister." 

"Sohma-san." Sara tried to keep her voice even. She didn't notice the group of students that had stopped to watch the whole scene. "Answer me. Why I can't remember you? Why I can't remember this?" She held out the pictures at him. 

Akito stepped closer to her so only her and the other jyunishi would hear him. "Do you remember Hatori's special ability?" He guessed that by the way her eyes widened, she knew what he meant. "Ten years ago, you told him you loved him, but he didn't accept your feelings. You two got into a fight and accidentally he threw you through the solarium's window panel. You got badly hurt." He pointed at the left side of her torso. "You must have a scar from that incident." 

"That can't be." She whispered, taking two steps back, her lower lip trembling. 

"He felt very sorry for what he did to you, so he decided to erase your memory not only of that moment but of all your life as a Sohma so you wouldn't have to live close to our cursed lives." He took her hand between his. "I never agreed to this. I was too young then to oppose." Then he turned to the cursed youngsters who were looking at them confusedly. Even Tohru and Momiji had come closer and could hear him. "Hatori erased the memories of all those who knew you onee-san. Except Hiro and Kisa who were only babies then." 

"That's not true!" Sara yelled pulling her hand away from his and holding her head, shutting her eyes tightly closed. Images flashed through her mind, too fast for her to make anything of them, but making her very scared and in pain. The voices in her head were making her dizzy and confused. 

"Akito!" Hatori yelled out the younger man's name as he ran to them. Akima and Ryota behind him. He gave a brief glance to the clan's leader who was smirking at him, before holding Sara by the shoulders. "Sara!" 

Sara brought her head up, her eyes wide in fear and disoriented. She slapped Hatori's hands away from her. Right then the flashes stopped on a particular image: her hand reaching out to Hatori's face and a white ceiling as background. Her face features froze for half a second and then she passed out. 

Ryota caught her in time, and crouched while looking at her. "Sara… wake up!" He pleaded while patting her cheeks. 

Hatori seemed frozen on the spot. –_Her eyes…._ He thought, despair taking over him. –_They were just like Kana's back then. _

"Leave her." Akito said, walking up to Ryota, looking down at her with a stern face. "Her family will take care of her from now on." 

Ryota stood up, carrying her carefully in his arms. Akima was next to him, caressing Sara's hair and face, crying and muttering at her. "Her family," He said, glaring at the smaller man. "are we. Don't you dare come near her again." His eyes moved to Hatori. "You nor anyone of your cursed Sohma family!" With that he marched away with her unconscious in his arms, and Akima to his side. 

"Why did you do this?" Hatori asked Akito in a somber tone. 

Akito turned around and grinned at him, reaching out to caress the doctor's face. "I told you, Shigure, and Ayame long time ago…She is only mine, and I don't share her with anyone." 

Hatori grabbed his hand by the wrist and glared down at him. "If anything happens to her…" 

"She hates you." Akito's grin became even more twisted. "You really think I would let you be happy? You really think you deserve to be happy with her of all people?" He laughed, pulling his hand away from Hatori's grip and turned to the younger ones. "All of you belong to me, and if I can't be happy, neither of you have any right to be!" The frail looking man began walking away. "Don't forget it again." 

-_I wasn't able to protect you once again_. Hatori closed his fists tightly, trying to control all the rage and pain he felt inside. He was so submerged in his own feelings that he didn't notice the fist flying to his face and was sent roughly to the ground. 

"Stand up you damn coward!" Haru growled, stepping towards Hatori. 

"Black Haru!" Momiji gasped as well as Tohru. 

Yuki and Kyou grabbed Haru, trying to restrain him from hitting Hatori again. "Let go of me you idiots!" He yelled, "I'm not black at all! I've got full conscious of what I'm doing!" 

_"Whoever says you're an idiot Hatsu-kun, is the real idiot, so don't cry anymore." Haru looked up to a smiling Sara as she wiped his tear stained cheeks. "Don't hear to the words of stupid people. Just listen to us, who love the real you…the one only us can see." _

"Damn you!" Haru yelled, tears escaping his angered eyes, as Hatori got to his feet. "You had no right to tamper with our memories! You had no right to take her away from me!" 

**_***Hate it? Like it? Love it? Whichever is your pick, please review. :) Only one more chapter to go, but won't post it if I don't get more reviews. :) Just kidding....but it would be good to receive a few reviews. I've seen other fics out there that are worse than mine and have 20 reviews up. So please be a responsible reader and review. :) -Shihori. _**


	6. Chapter 06

**_****DISCLAMER: I don't own Fruit Basket nor any of its characters. Sara Fujima and other characters not original from furuba, are obviously mine. _**

**_ This fic centers mostly around Hatori, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji, -exactly in that level of importance. The rest of the Sohma and Tohru make small appearances. If you feel it is rushed all I can say to that is "Sorry. I'm busy with university classes, so I try to keep my fics as short as possible." If there are any mistakes with the names, I was typing too fast. Mistakes with the nicknames: they are so many that I sometimes get confused. Anyways…I hope you like the story. Thank you for reading and please review. I'd like to know your opinions whether they are constructive or destructive. In other words, flames are accepted, so fire away. _**

****

**_Shihori._**

Sara sat on a hospital bed in a dark, silent room. Her head was bowed, her long locks forming a curtain around her face. Tears silently fell on her hands that rested on her lap. 

_"Why you say it is wrong Ha-chan?" Young Sara stared at Hatori's back with surprised eyes, her lower lip trembling lightly. She was trying her best not to break into tears right there. "Is it because of the curse? I don't care about it." They were standing next to the window wall in the solarium. _

_"It just isn't right for you to love me Sara." Hatori said not turning to look back at her. "It isn't fair for you." _

_"Fair?" Sara repeated getting angry out of the sudden. "Fair is the reason you are giving me? The curse is just not enough reason for you to reject me Hatori!" _

_"There's no reason for you to tie down yourself with someone cursed like me. You are free Sara-chan. You must fly away from this family, from this hell." Hatori said still not looking at her. _

_"Look at me." Sara muttered, and pulled his arm making him turn around. The second she saw his face, his eyes showing great pain, her tears couldn't be contained anymore. "I was born to this family and even if I am not a Jyunishi, I am part of you because I grew up with you, and pretend to always be next to you. Don't push me away please." She held his hand between hers but he pulled it back, shaking his head. "Curse or no curse, my feelings for you remain the same. Hatori, I love you and that will never change." _

_"That's a lie!" Twelve years old Akito yelled from the door and stomped towards her. "You can't love him!" _

_Sara stepped away from Hatori and tried to hold Akito but he kept slapping her hands away. "Aktio calm down!" She suddenly yelled, nervous over the whole situation. On one side she was being rejected by the man she loved, and on the other her little, ill brother was acting like a brat. _

_He stopped, looking down. "You've never yelled at me." He whispered, ignoring Sara's apologizing words, and glared at Hatori. "You're not taking her away from me." He declared and looked back at Sara with truly enraged eyes. "YOU CAN ONLY LOVE ME!" _

_Before Hatori, or Shigure and Ayame at the door, could react, Akito gathered all his strength and pushed her, and watched how Sara lost her balance and went crashing through the French like window panel. _

_Her screams filled the air accompanied by the sound of the heavy rain falling. Sara looked between tears Hatori's panic face, Shigure's pale face before he took an even paler Akito away, and only Ayame's long hair flowing as he ran out of the solarium. The searing pain on her back, wouldn't stop. "You'll be alright Sara!" She heard Hatori's voice say at the distance. "Stay with me! Stay with me!" She could feel his cold caress on her face while the rain continued to fall on them and her hot blood flowed out of her wounds to the ground. _

Deceiving Bonds: Chapter 6 

"It has been a two days already." Ayame sat in front of Shigure. Both of them looked as if they hadn't moved from there for days. On the table there were bottles of sake, two ash trays filled to the top, and a recently opened pack of cigarettes. The snake turned his head towards the garden doors where Hatori sat in silence, an ash tray sitting next to him. "He hasn't slept at all since then." 

"No one really has." Shigure muttered. He was leaning on the table with his forehead resting against his hands, and a lit cigarette between his fingers slowly consuming itself. "I wonder if we'll ever know of her again." 

There was a knock on the door, and it slid open slowly. Momiji peeked from behind it. "May I come in?" 

"Come in Momiji-kun." Ayame forced himself to smile. "Did you hear anything at school?" 

Momiji came in, looking tired himself. "Mayuko-sensei came today with news." He looked at Hatori to see if he was hearing but the man didn't move a centimeter. "She said that sensei is hospitalized and that she might not come for a good while. She wasn't told in which hospital she is because sensei's doctor forbid any visits and for this reason the hospital's name was disclosed by the person who called." 

"Hospitalized." Shigure looked up, and took a draw from his cigarette. "That means what she has is serious." 

"Not necessarily." Ayame tried to look for a less pessimist view. "Probably it is stress or something." 

"Haru…" Momiji said softly, looking down. "He says he remembers her." 

"That cannot be." Ayame pointed out, "He got his memories erased as well." 

"We don't know how Hatori's power works." Shigure sighed, leaning back on his seat, crossing the arms over his chest. "Ha-san was very tired by the time he had to erase Haru's memory. He had almost no rest between the moment he erased Sa-chan's whole memories and yours. Probably it didn't work perfectly like it did with you or the others." 

"I see…I wish…" Momiji whispered, tears forming in his eyes. "I wish I could remember her." 

"She was…" Hatori spoke up for Momiji to hear. "She was there for you when I erased your mother's memories of you. You were barely five years old then and you needed of someone. You used to call her muttei." 

"Ah yes…." Ayame smiled down at the rabbit patting his head. "You used to follow her around all the time like a baby chick to a mother hen." 

"Mama huh?" Momiji whispered, smiling tenderly. "That explains why I felt like this every time I saw her." 

"Excuse me sensei." A woman around her forties stood at the door holding a cordless phone. "You have a call." 

"Who is it?" Hatori asked, standing up and walking back in to the room slowly. 

"She only gave me her name." The woman said, extending the phone to the doctor. "Akima I believe." 

Hatori's eyes widened and grabbed the phone from her hand, putting it to his ear. The bruise on his cheek was starting to disappear. "Akima! Where is she? How is she?" He listened carefully to her words, and brought his hand to his eyes, sighing. "Do you have any idea of where- I see. Please call me if you know anything." He pressed the off button on the phone and looked up to his cousins who were staring at him intently, waiting for an answer. 

"Sara has disappeared this morning. They have no idea where she can be now." 

"There aren't any clues of where Fujima-sensei could be right now?" Momiji asked worriedly. 

"Sara Fujima you say?" The servant asked as she took the phone back from Hatori. She had stayed to wait for it. "I met a lady at the door just a while ago when I came back from groceries shopping. She asked me to take her to Akito-sama, and introduced herself with that name." 

"She's with him." Shigure said with a fearfully tone as he stood up. Hatori was on his way out already, and he followed. 

"Momiji, you stay here. Don't go anywhere close to that place understood?" Ayame said in a stern voice to the small boy and went after the other two. 

"Please…" The rabbit whispered as he sank to the floor with tears in his eyes. "Don't let him harm her more." 

° 

Sara stood in the middle of the big, dark room. Her hair was lose and looked slightly disheveled. She had wanted to chosen a dress with the color of her mood, black, and had no purse on her. Her gray eyes were dull, almost lifeless, but they never wavered from the form at the other side of the room. 

"How did you get here?" Akito asked curiously, standing up from the floor where he had been lying a seconds earlier. He was wearing his usual kimonos for indoors. "I must tell you I am surprised to see you here, onee-sama." He smiled at her as he stepped closer to her. "But I am glad you are here. That horrible man took you away and didn't let me take care of you like you did so many times before." He opened his arms as he neared her. "But that doesn't matter now. What is important is that you're here and I'll take care of you." 

The door slid open forcefully, Hatori, Shigure and Ayame behind her. "Sara!" The doctor called out her name as he stepped closer. 

"Stay where you are Hatori!" Akito glared at him and hugged Sara, resting his head on her shoulder, smirking at them. "You won't hurt her again because-" 

Sara cut him short in his words as she pushed him lightly away from her. She saw the question in his eyes and before he could even pronounce it, she connected her fist forcefully against his face, sending him to the floor in a loud thud. 

"You bitch!" Akito yelled , struggling to his feet immediately. He saw the other three nearing them but he ordered them to stay out of it. "And here was I being all kind to you! How foolish of me! I should have known better than trust a traitor like you!" 

"Traitor, I?" Sara's eyes remained calm, but a grin curved her pale lips. "It was you who betrayed me. But it seems that loving you was always wrong. I created a selfish, egocentric bastard." Her grin widened as Akito's glare intensified. "Pity. That is what I should have felt for a cursed bastard like you. Pity is what I feel for you now." 

"Shut up!" Akito roared and jumped on her, taking her down to the floor and keeping her there with his weight. His hands tightened around her neck as her grin became wider. "You pity me, you say? It is I who pity's you! You are only a shell! You are nothing! You are just another worthless bitch who thought that she could heal this family! But you aren't taking them away from me! They belong to me!" 

Sara kicked him between the legs, sending him down on her and moaning in pain. Quickly she turned him down to the floor and sat on him, choking him now. "You are the worthless one here dear brother!" She hissed, grinning at the look of pain on his face. "I remember your smirking face back in the hospital. I remember your happy face while Hatori held me down on the bed to erase my memories!" 

"Sara, control yourself please!" Hatori pleaded as he, Ayame and Shigure neared them. Ayame and Hatori pulled her off Akito and she offered no resistance. Meanwhile Shigure checked on Akito but the young leader just hit the dog's hands away from him as he sat up. 

"Are you alright?" Ayame asked her while caressing her head and holding her hand tightly. "You've had us so worried Sa-chan…" Sara remained kneeling between the two men, her head bowed and not visible through her hair. Hatori tried taking her hand but she moved it away, totally rejecting him. He just watched her with sorrowful eyes. 

"Get that woman out of here Shigure!" Akito yelled, struggling to get on his feet. "Get her out! I don't want to see her ever again!" 

"It is useless Aki-chan." Sara muttered, bringing her head up smiling at the enraged man, and stood up, the butterfly at her chest glowing lightly with the few light rays that hit it. "We will meet soon again and this time, neither of us will be able to escape from the other." 

Akito watched her step closer to him, frozen on his spot. "See you in hell my beloved little brother." She whispered to him as she kissed his forehead and then walked way waving back at him. "See you soon." 

Shigure stared at her back bewildered, being the only one who had heard her last words to Akito. –_What does she mean see you soon? _He watched Hatori and Ayame follow her and began walking towards the door as well when he felt Akito's hand on his arm. 

"Don't leave." Akito's tiny voice pleaded as he moved closer to the older man. "I don't want to be alone." 

"You should have thought that first before telling her the truth." Shigure took Akito's hand off his arm and continued walking to the door. He slid the door closed behind him. 

Akito walked to the open window and sat on the sill. _"Aki-chan."_ Sara's younger voice ringed in his ears. He covered his eyes with his forearm as he rested his head back. "Damn that woman…" 

° 

"Sara wait up!" Hatori grabbed her arm making her stop before she could reach the main gates. "Could you please let me explain what really happened? What Akito told you-" 

"I know it was him who gave you the order." Sara turned around, pulling her arm off his grip. "I remember well how things happened that summer. In fact, all I can remember of my past as a Sohma is that summer." Her face was unreadable, showing no emotions at all. "The fact that he gave you the order to erase my memories doesn't change the truth Hatori. You didn't hesitate and got rid of my memories so you could get rid of me!" 

"You have it all wrong!" Hatori exclaimed, feeling her more distant with each passing second. "I refused so many times to do it! But in the end he convinced me that you'd hurt more if you stayed with us, seeing him become more ill with each passing day until he died, and the that the curse would-" 

"I told you many times before I didn't care about the curse!" She yelled at him, and directed her words to Shigure and Ayame who were behind Hatori. "Nothing you tell me now can justify either of you abandoning me and following Akito's perverse game!" She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, looking away to calm down. "It doesn't really matter anymore." She began in a more even tone now. "I am no longer Sara Sohma. I'm no longer your cousin, nor anything to either of you. Today all our bonds die." She said the later as she took off the butterfly necklace and placed it in Hatori's hand. 

"Stop speaking nonsense." Shigure stepped between Hatori and Sara. "What doesn't matter anymore is what happened back then." His eyes were soft while staring at her. "I won't make up excuses for either of us, because we are all guilty for what happened in a way or another, but I beg you Sa-chan," He reached out to touch her face but instead held her shoulders. "Don't leave us." –_Me._ "Even if legally you don't carry the same name as us," He took her hand and caressed her wrist where her veins were visible. "You carry Sohma blood, and you can't continue to deny it. You're no different from the Sara I remember. I know you are just putting a strong guard because you don't want to be hurt again, but I promise…" 

The Jyunishi's dog could feel her hand tremble under his grip and his eyes softened even more as she bowed her head and brought her other hand to her face. He could hear her tiny sobs. "Promises are no good. But we still need you. It is killing me the idea of losing you again, and I'm sure that everybody else in this family is feeling the same." He smiled sadly, and pulled her closer until her head touched his chest. "Ayame is dieing to use you as his model for his clothes." He felt her more than saw her smirk at that. "I need you to talk and laugh till late hours and play jokes on people." He muttered, placing his hands on her head and caressed her soft locks. "Ha-san here needs you more than anyone." 

With those last words she finally broke into tears, slowly falling to her knees. Shigure knelt with her and rested his forehead against her head, hiding his own tears behind his long bangs. "That's why…That's why Sa-chan, don't reject us. I know we deserve it, but please don't punish us with your hatred." 

"Let us make up to you for our mistakes." Ayame whispered as he knelt to her right, taking her hand in his and kissed it. "Let us be your family again." 

Sara's sobs slowly ceased. She felt Hatori kneel to her left and take her hand. This time she didn't reject his touch. Instead she held it back tightly. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore." She muttered against Shigure's chest, speaking her thoughts. "I've found what I've being searching for the longest time." –_But… _"I must go back. Akima and Ryo-kun must be going crazy with worry." She said as she brought up her head. Her eyes were clear and calm as well as her face features. 

"I'll take you!" Shigure chirped wiping his face with the kimono's sleeves. "Ha-san drives." 

Sara smiled softly and shook her head. "I don't hate either of you." She decided to make things clear. "But I need time alone, to calm down. The few memories I had of you suddenly became clear in my mind and I need time to make something of them." She said trying to convince them to let her be. She looked pleadingly at Shigure and Ayame. "Please, accept my conditions. I really need time on my own." –_I can't let them know. I can't let them suffer for me again. _

"You're not leaving." Hatori suddenly said, making her face him immediately. He just smiled and dried her tears with a handkerchief. "Unless you promise you will call soon. I still need you to forgive me." 

"You are forgiven already." She smiled warmly at him, and leaned over, giving him a quick kiss on the lips, but Hatori took her face between his hands and deepened the kiss. 

Shigure stood up immediately at that and Ayame followed him. "You'll have to get used to it" The snake whispered at the dog while leaning on his head on Shigure's shoulder. 

"I will." Shigure muttered and forced a smile on his lips. "If she is happy, I'll be happy." 

"Never understood why you never fought for her." Ayame muttered while looking at Hatori put the necklace around Sara's neck again and stand up. 

Shigure looked up to the light blue sky, and smiled sadly. "It would be a sin to dare stain heaven with my hands." 

"Shi-chan, A-chan. I'm leaving." Sara smiled at them, calling them by the nickname she used to have for them. –_Smile. Smile. Smile. In a minute, I can stop pretending nothing is wrong. _

"Do you really have to?" Ayame pouted at her and ran up to her, hugging her on purpose. Immediately he transformed to his snake form and wrapped around her neck, nuzzling at her cheek. "We have so much to talk about. So much time to make up for! And-" Sara kissed his small head making him sigh happily. "Ok. I'll let you go for now but remember you must call us. We're worried about you having to be in a hospital." 

"That's right Sa-chan." Shigure walked up to her and took Ayame off her. "Why are you-" 

"I will explain that later." Sara said quickly, and leaned over, giving the dog a quick peck on the cheek. She immediately turned to Hatori and smiled. "Please don't worry." 

He opened the door for her, and they followed her out where a taxi cab awaited. The doctor took her hand and kissed it. "Please take care and don't take too long to call." 

Sara just nodded and walked to the taxi cab, the door already open for her, and got in. She waved good bye at them as the driver pulled away from the Sohma state's gates. Once they couldn't be seen anymore, she brought out a cell phone from the purse she had left in the car. She dialed a number and waited for someone to answer. 

"Sara where are you?" It was Akima's cell phone she called to. 

"I am on my way back to the hospital." She said in an even tone, looking down to the butterfly pendant. "Tel the doctor that I will go through with the surgery plan no matter how risky it is in my present condition." She wrapped her fist around the pendant, closing her eyes. "While there's still 1% chance of living, there is still hope." –_For him, for them, for me, I don't want to let go of this dream. I want to continue dreaming. I didn't care at all if I died or not, but now…I have the man I love and he loves me back. I've recovered the family I so much longed for. _She could hear Akima cry on the other side and smiled. "Wait down for me. You've got to pay the fare." –_I must continue to live, for those who love me._

° 

"My last words are for you Hatori." Sara watched on the small plasma screen on the video camera where her image played. "My feelings for you will never change, and I'll take them with me if I am to die this day. I know I did wrong keeping my health's state a secret from you, but like I told you the day of my birthday, you'll have to forgive my selfishness. I love you can never express fully what I feel for you, but those three words will have to-" There was a knock on the door and she quickly stopped the recording, putting the hand size camera in the night table's drawer. "Come in." 

Akima peeked from the door into the dark room and smiled softly at her. "I'm sorry to interrupt you." 

"What is it Aki-chan?" Sara said with a warm smile. 

"Ah…I don't know if you'll get mad with me. Ryota already is." She muttered, still not daring to come inside. "After what you told me of you and your family…well I…" 

"Thank you Akima." Sara smiled softly, pulling the blanket over her legs. "Let them come in." 

"How did you know?" Akima looked surprised at her. 

"I didn't know, but with your babbling is easy to guess." Sara giggled at her friend's pouting face. "But I'm still surprised." 

With those last words Akima beamed a smile at her. "You only have 15 minutes though. The nurse will come soon to get you ready." 

"Alright." Sara watched Akima's head disappear and then the door was fully opened. "Hey." She smiled at the men at her door, two of them were wearing black suits, Hatori a blue tie, Shigure a red one, and Ayame dressed in a light green ankle long jacket and white pants. 

"Oh my God Sa-chan!" Ayame practically yelled, as he ran to the windows. "How can you get any better with these curtains shut? You'll only get worse!" He immediately opened the curtains, and light flashed into the room leaving all of them momentarily blind. 

"Ayame wanted to fill your room with roses, but Shigure and I convinced him that this would be enough for now." Hatori walked to her side, holding a bouquet of red roses which he gave to her, and asked in his usual collected tone but his eyes showed deep concern and happiness at seeing her again. "How are you doing?" He took her hand and kissed it. 

"I'm not bad." Sara answered blushing lightly and smelled the roses for a bit to take her mind away from his hand around hers. She missed having contact with him. "They're lovely." She smiled up to them. 

"No more than you." Shigure immediately sat at her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. "How long are you going to stay here Sa-chan? You've been a whole week locked up in this place." 

"I really don't know." Sara muttered, caressing one of the roses. 

"Then let's ask the doctor!" Ayame took the roses from her and grabbed the empty vase at the night table. "Tori-san, why don't you go look for the doctor?" 

"What is his name?" Hatori asked Sara, wanting to know what everybody else wanted to know, when they'll have her among them again. 

"That really isn't necessary." Sara's smile turned somewhat sad as she held tightly his hand. "Instead, why don't you tell me how's Akito?" 

"Your visit affected him." Shigure said, bringing her attention back to him. "He hasn't let Hatori or me near since then." 

"Won't that be dangerous for his health?" Sara asked, looking back at Hatori. 

"If he hasn't called for me is because he is feeling alright for the moment." Hatori sat down at the chair next to the bed, holding her hand with both hands. "You really shouldn't worry about him right now." 

Ayame came back from the bathroom with the roses in the vase and set them on the night table. Taking the brush next to it, he sat down on the bed at her side and began brushing her hair. "I missed doing this so much!" 

Sara giggled while the snake brushed her long locks with gentle strokes. "Don't you have enough brushing to do with your own hair?" 

"Mou…so mean." Ayame pouted, continuing to brush her hair. "I love beautiful hair, and yours is almost as beautiful as mine." 

"Well enjoy it while you can." Sara muttered, closing her eyes. "In 15 minutes a nurse will come and take it down." 

"Eh?" Shigure looked at her confused. 

"What do you mean?" Ayame kept on with his task happily. 

Hatori felt her hand grow cold out of the sudden, making him worry even more. "Explain yourself please." 

Sara sighed, and closed her eyes before she explained herself trying to be as casual as she could be about the topic. "I found out in March that I had a tumor at the back of my head. Since then I've been taken medicines to shrink it so it can be removed. And today happens to be that day." She slowly opened her eyes. Hatori's shocked-pained expression the first one she saw, followed by Ayame's whose whole brightness had faded away, and finally Shigure's which was the least readable of all three. "I know it's a short notice for you to get used to the idea, but-" 

"Hatori, what are the risks of that type of surgery?" Shigure interrupted her, looking immediately at the family's doctor. 

"They are great." Sara spoke up again. "I only have 25% possibilities of coming out well, 35% to end up in coma or as a vegetable, and a 40% of not coming out at all of that surgery room." She sighed, trying to gather her strengths to keep high her hopes. "I'm sorry for dropping this on you out of the sudden, but the last time we met we were all very emotional and the agony would have been longer and painful." 

"I can't believe this." Shigure muttered as he rested his head on his arm behind her head, and whispered, "Just when I get you back, I am soon to lose you again." 

Sara smiled sadly as she brought her free hand to his head and caressed his raven mop. "Ne…please don't kill me yet my sweet puppy." 

"I'm not a puppy." He muttered, shutting his eyes closed tightly to keep the tears from rolling out. "But the yours part is right." 

She smiled sweetly and continued to pat his head while she spoke to the snake next to her who had left the brush aside and was now covering his eyes with a hand. "I won't make promises. I won't make wishes." Her eyes turned to Hatori who had rested his head against her hand. "All I have to say to the three of you, as my family, is that I will definitely try my best….do what is in my hands, to come back to you." Tears rolled from her almond shaped eyes to her cheeks, but a warm, bright smile remained on her lips as she said, "The three of you…I've been searching for the three of you since the day I woke up in that hospital room. My heart never let go of you, and I know yours didn't let go of me either. That is why we will always be together, so please don't be sad." 

Ayame sighed and then took his hand off his face. "You are right. There is no reason to be sad." He forced a smile on his lips and wiped away the tears that dimmed his golden orbs. "When you leave this hospital, you'll model for me! You can't say no this time!" His smile became less strained while staring at her calm countenance. He leaned over and kissed her right cheek. "Well the two of you should have some time to yourselves." 

Ayame moved off the bed and walked over to the other side and pulled Shigure's arm gently. "Come Gure-san, let's go watch the nurses in their pristine uniforms!" He tried to sound as natural as possible, but he was truly making a big effort to stay controlled. 

Shigure's emotions were in a roller coaster. He wanted to tell her he loved her, at least this once, but his other side told him that it would be like saying good-bye and he didn't want to do so. He brought his head out from behind hers, and kissed her cheek, slightly touching the corner of her lips. "I won't say good bye so you better come back." He said in a gruff tone and slipped off the bed without looking back at her. 

Sara watched them leave, and as soon as the door was closed she looked back at Hatori. "Hatori, come sit at my side please." Her voice was low and soft. When he looked up, she moved more to her left to give him more space. 

Hatori felt heavy as he moved from the chair to the bed and couldn't bring himself to look at her. She gently moved his arm over her shoulders, and leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes. "Are you angry because I didn't tell you before we began this relationship?" 

He sighed, and caressed her head with his left hand while the right held her right gently. "Not at all. I just wish you wouldn't have kept this pain to yourself all this time." 

"I wasn't in pain at all." She muttered, bringing her other hand to rest over his at his lap. "You made me really happy all this time and I truly didn't have much time to dwell on my situation when you were around me." She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Promise me something." 

"What?" He muttered, keeping his voice low due to the knot at his throat. 

"I want you to promise me you'll take me home this summer." She smiled while staring at his sorrowful, blue eyes. "We'll all go together to the beach villa this summer and make new, beautiful memories." 

"We'll do as you wish my beautiful butterfly." He whispered and kissed her forehead, running his fingers through a lock of hair. 

She giggled softly to hide the blush on her cheeks. "That's the first time you call me that." 

"I've always seen you as one." He smiled softly, taking her pendant into his hand. "Beautiful and free." Slowly he lowered his face to hers, letting go of the pendant as he brought his hand to her neck, and kissed her tenderly, trying to express all his bottled feelings with it. 

A knock at the door interrupted them. "One minute please" Sara called out so no one would come in just yet. She smiled warmly at him and caressed his face gently one more time. Hatori smiled, feeling the little snow left over his heart melt. "I love you." The three words he thought he'd never say again flowed out of his lips naturally and he knew his heart meant every single bit of it. He smiled as tears came out of her surprised eyes. "You are the most important person in my life so," He whispered as he kissed her eyes gently and wiped her tears. "Come back to me." 

Sara just nodded, hiding her face at the crook of his neck while he hugged her head closer. "I love you too." She whispered against his neck. "With all my heart and soul, I love u." _–I may die now, no regrets or complaints, for I am the happiest woman on Earth right now. _

_  
_

° 

Shigure leaned back on the seat, setting the book he had been reading on his lap. He stared out through the crystal panels of the solarium. Outside it was a perfect summer day. He closed his eyes, leaning his chin on his hand and the elbow sat on the chair's arm. Images slowly flooded his mind. 

He saw himself, walk into a hospital room, looking sleepless, his clothes wrinkled and his hair disheveled. A frown sat on his forehead as tears welled up in his eyes while he slowly dragged his feet towards the bed where her motionless body rested. Carefully he took her hand, an IV line connected to her pale form, and caressed her serene countenance as he knelt at the bed's side. No longer being able to hold his tears back, he hid his face on her shoulder. "I was never able to tell you how much you mean to me." He whispered looking back at her face. "I always feared you'd reject me if I only dared to caress your face with love. I've realized it too late." Slowly he stood up, bowing over her bringing his face closer to hers. "But it is not late, to tell you how much I love you my beloved heaven." He whispered and gently pressed his lips, warming her thin pale lips with his kiss. 

"What are you thinking puppy?" 

Shigure's eyes bolted open and turned his face over his shoulder. "I'm not a puppy." He muttered, staring into her lively gray eyes so close to his. She had her arms wrapped loosely around his neck, and her chin rested on her arm, their faces just separated by a pair of centimeters. "Why are you here? You're on your honeymoon and should be locked up in the bedroom with your husband." 

Sara giggled, and let go of him, walking away from his chair towards the window panel. "The kids don't seem to agree with that." 

"It's your own fault for insisting on making of your honeymoon a family thing." Shigure watched her profile surrounded by the soft golden rays of sunset. 

"You looked very serious just a minute ago." She said while staring out to the garden. "What were you thinking?" 

"I was just imagining the next scene for my novel." Shigure muttered as he placed the book on the coffee table and walked up to her side. "The sequel to Aoi Sora has proved to be more difficult than I thought." 

"That's true." Sara smiled, placing her hand on a crystal square and began drawing circles on it. "Your first novel was such a great hit among your female readers that you've finally decided to write the sequel." She wrapped her arm around his and looked up to him pleadingly. "May I read it before you give it to your editor?" 

"Of course." Shigure smiled down at her, his eyes drifting to her hair's short bob cut. –_It has been two months since she had that surgery done. She came out well from it and it took her about a month to recover and go back to her normal activities. _

"Anyways, I came to look for you and take you to the barbeque. You suddenly disappeared." Sara pulled his arm gently as she stepped towards the door to leave the solarium. 

"I got an idea for the novel so I wanted to meditate on it for a while." He explained, giving in to her request, walking out of the solarium and into the garden. 

"You were gone for three hours. That's not a while." Sara pouted, walking arm in arm with him. 

Shigure laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I thought no one would notice." 

"I did." Sara smiled, as they walked into the woods that surrounded the main beach villa, on their way to the smaller one where the others were gathered. 

Shigure watched her smile from the tail of his eye. –_That day…_ An image of Hatori kneeling in front of Akito at the room where the clan's head received people, while Sara remained behind her boyfriend, came to his mind. 

_"We are going to get married." Hatori announced to the clan's leader, looking straight into his eyes. _

_"I will never consent to that." Akito glared at the doctor. "That bitch will never carry the Sohma name again! She doesn't belong here!" _

_"I am only informing you." Hatori said sternly, determined to go through with what he wanted this time, knowing that there was nothing Akito could do this time to separate them. He watched the younger man glare intensely at his sister, but didn't say or do anything to force his opinion on them. "We'll be leaving now." The doctor said as he stood up and turned to Sara. _

_In a quick movement, Akito tried to pass by Hatori to reach Sara. He wore an insane look on his face. Yet, he didn't get far since Hatori grabbed him immediately, stopping him from harming her. "You are the responsible of my disgrace!" He yelled, "I'll kill you before you can take them away from me! They are mine! Only mine!" _

_Shigure opened the door quickly as soon as he heard the man's yells. Worried Kana's story would repeat on them, he had stayed outside in case they needed him but his cousin seemed to be controlling Akito easily since the younger man had grown weaker. Then he turned to look at Sara and he saw her smiling, obviously enjoying Akito's pain and not trying to hide it. _

-That day I realized we are more alike than I had believed till that moment. Shigure thought while walking next to her. The villa's roof was already visible. –I cannot think you accepted to marry him only to hurt the one who hurt you the most because I know you love Hatori more than your own life, but… it was you who insisted on talking to Akito for being the clan's leader. In the end, you've got the reaction you had wanted, right Sa-chan? Without warning, you've made Akito's worse fear come true.

He recalled a moment previous to coming to the villa. He watched from the door Akito's coiled form close to the window. –_He has become lonelier than before._

"Shigure." Sara stopped before they reached the villa, interrupting his thoughts. 

He turned back, wondering why she looked so serious out of the sudden. "What is it Sa-chan?" 

"The other day, I remembered about one afternoon from back then. I had fallen asleep in the living room while reading Aoi Sora." She began, looking up to him. "Or so it seemed." 

It had been long ago but he remembered quite well that afternoon. Shigure tried to control his emotions from showing on his face, but his mind wouldn't stop from recalling that moment she mentioned. An image of him in his 18's walking into the living room and sitting down next to her sleeping form, taking the set of papers tied with a thread of red wool at a corner from her hands. –_I wasn't able to contain myself that moment_. He remembered his younger self leaning over and kissing Sara's lips softly and suddenly- 

"I woke up and found you in dog form next to me." She continued staring directly into his eyes. 

Shigure laughed nervously, trying to hide his real emotions. "Yeah! You hugged me in your sleep! You took me by surprise!" 

Sara looked softly at him and grabbed his kimono's sleeve. "Can you forgive me for my cruelty Shi-chan?" 

"Wha-?" Shigure's surprised look slipped off his features to be replaced by the only one he showed to her, his true face. "So you knew." 

"I was only resting my eyes." Sara admitted, a small frown taking over her forehead. "That moment I realized that the girl you had talked to me about was I. And when I finished reading Aoi Sora I went to talk to you at the solarium, -tried to get you to tell me your feelings but you insisted that I'd know when the book was published." She looked down. "I told you about my feelings for Hatori, knowing you loved me. I just couldn't wait for you to decide, because I- " 

"You've always been straight forward with your feelings and thoughts." Shigure said as he reached out to her face and caressed her cheek gently. "That is the only thing so far we're not alike in." He smiled warmly at her outlining her face features with his fingers. "But why you bring that up now?" 

"You mean now as in now after you've married Hatori, or now as in now in this moment?" She said teasingly, and she just smiled at his slight annoyed look "I have the feeling you are hiding things from me Shigure, and I want you to be sincere with me. That's why I am being sincere with you." 

-_Stain you with my unclean dreams and thoughts?_ "I'm not hiding anything from you." He lied boldly, "There are just many things that you don't need to know of these past ten years. Why stir past, unpleasant memories now when everything is going so well?" He smiled at her, putting his mask on again, putting an end to that conversation. 

Sara half smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I guess you're right." She began walking towards the house where loud voices and laughter could be heard. "Come on, or the kids will eat our share." 

Shigure walked behind her, but before they joined the rest of the Sohma's at the porch where the barbeque was taking place, he placed his hand on her shoulder stopping her but she didn't turn around. "I have a doubt though Sara." He guessed that her silence was to encourage him to continue. "If things wouldn't have gone like they did that night, if we hadn't left you here back then, and Hatori would have continued rejecting you, would I have stood any chance with you?" -_Ok. Now I'm speaking like a stupid high school brat._ He kicked himself for not controlling his emotions, but the question was already done. 

Sara just turned around halfway, looking up to him. "The past cannot be changed Gure dear." She said giving him the same fake smile he gave her just a moment ago. "Why do you want to know now when everything is going so well?" She quoted him. 

Shigure watched her turn away and walked directly to Hatori who was sitting at the picnic table close to the wood railing. He stared at them as they kissed and smiled at each other like every happily married couple would. Then Ayame joined them at the table babbling out loud over something he talked with Yuki. He sighed and chuckled to himself. –_It is incredible how after so long and at this age, that single woman keeps us in the palm of her hand. _"Kyou cook mine well!" He yelled at the cat who was in front of the barbeque, as he went to sit down with them. 

"Don't come giving orders when you just arrived and didn't help at all!" Kyou bit back as his response. 

"I'd like mine like that too." Tohru smiled sheepishly bringing a new plate with uncooked meat burgers, sausages, and vegetables in sticks. 

Kyou smirked, turning the burgers on the grill. "Alright." 

"Be careful with setting a fire baka neko." Yuki said as he walked out carrying with Haru the drinks and glasses. 

"What are you saying you stupid, girly looking mouse!" Kyou hissed, pointing at Yuki with the metal spatula. "Wanna fight?" 

His outburst was interrupted by Haru who stood in front of the barbeque hiding Yuki from Kyou's view. "Hmm…Cannibalism?" He said looking down at the sizzling burgers. "Make mine medium-rare." 

Kyou gave him a disgusted look. "You could at least say please stupid cow." 

Haru suddenly threw the barbeque lid's over the grill, smoke filtering from the sides. "What did you call me stupid cat?" 

"Hatsu-kun!" Sara called out after him, taking the youngster's attention away from the cat, and keeping him from going black all the way. "Bring me a drink please!" 

"Ok." The white and black haired teen turned around and went for the drink, forgetting Kyou's insult. 

"It's good muttei is able to control black Haru." Momiji commented, hugging Sara's arm. He had gone sit next to her as soon as she had returned from the other house. "He could have thrown the hot grill on Kyou-kun if he had gone totally black." 

Sara just smiled down at Momiji. "I'm too hungry to let them waste all that food." 

"I'm hungry too!" He chirped, and jumped to his feet, turning towards Kyou. "Kyou! When will the first ones be ready? We're famished!" 

Ayame and Shigure decided to leave the love doves alone at their corner at the table, and joined Momiji at the whining in front of the grill testing Kyou's patience levels. Yuki and Tohru were chatting at a safe distance from the grill in case Kyou exploded, and Haru went sit with them after giving Sara her drink. 

"You're not regretting this honeymoon?" Hatori asked, leaning his elbow on the table while caressing the back of her tanned neck. A small smile playing on his lips while watching her. 

Sara watched the group with a serene smile on her lips. "Not at all." She turned to look at him. "Let's take a walk." She said, standing up from her seat, leading the way. 

Hatori followed her towards the beach out of everyone's view. Catching up with her, he grabbed her hand and walked to her side. "Shigure and Ayame told me earlier that all of them will leave tomorrow morning." 

"Why?" Sara asked innocently, leaning on him while taking off her shoes before stepping into the water. Then she smiled and muttered, "Ah. I see. They're more worried for our honeymoon than we are." 

"Well we'll have some peace and quiet for a pair of days before we have to go back." He sat down on the wet sand, watching her slightly kick the water, the soft breeze playing with her dress's hem. –_I had been wrong all this time. We all have been._ He thought as she turned to smile brightly at him. –_The curse wasn't an obstacle to happiness. _

Sara stepped towards him, and knelt between his legs, staring into his blue eyes intently. Her smile slowly grew as she read his emotions through his orbs. "What are you thinking?" She asked, wanting to hear it from him. 

Hatori caressed her face lightly, and smiled as he answered. "How good it is to be free." He touched her lips with his fingers slowly. "How good it feels to be alive." –_In her smile I find my freedom, and her presence brings bliss to my life. _

She kissed his fingers and held his hand against her cheek. "It does feel good, doesn't it?" She closed her eyes, smiling warmly while caressing his hand at her face. "I don't want to wake up, ever." 

"You don't need to." He whispered as he leaned over and kissed her lovingly while the waves wet their clothes and the soft sea breeze caressed their forms. –_I will protect her dream, my dream, -our dream._ Their lips parted, and he smiled at her slightly blushed cheeks. –_And make it eternal._

The End. 

**_***Hate it? Like it? Love it? Whichever is your pick, please review. :) This is the end for this fic. I'm sorry I took sooo long to post this chapter but school has been hell the last two months. I hope you liked it. And for those who didn't, oh well... not much I can do about that. =) But either way please review. Thank you for reading! I'm truly grateful from the bottom of my heart! Ja ne!_**


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